


Semper Ad Meliora

by Vergil1989



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy, Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Culture, Alien Mythology/Religion, Alien Technology, Aliens, Alternate Universe - Persona Fusion, Cafe Leblanc (Persona 5), Canon-Typical Violence, Established Relationship, Eventual Female Shepard/Liara T'Soni, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, F/F, F/M, Gen, Mass Effect Spoilers, Mementos (Persona 5), Mythology References, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Persona 3 Spoilers, Persona 4 Spoilers, Persona 5 Spoilers, Post-Canon, Post-Persona 5, Pre-Canon, Pre-Mass Effect 1, Science Fiction, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Tags May Change, The Velvet Room (Persona Series), Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 14:42:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 170,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12483996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vergil1989/pseuds/Vergil1989
Summary: Spoilers abound  Two years has passed since the Phantom Thieves' grand finale against the god of control. Now faced with a threat in the future, they must band together for their greatest heists yet.  But the future is full of dangers, and some trials even the Phantom Thieves will have a hard time overcoming.Pre ME 1, Post P5.





	1. It's Show Time!

**Semper Ad Meliora**

**_Disclaimer:_ ** _We don't own Mass Effect or the Persona series, they belong to Bioware and Atlus respectively._

 **_Nomad-117:_ ** _So, I recently started playing Persona 5… a lot, like an addict in fact. I mean it just mesmerised me, pulled me in and before I knew it I just wanted to know what would happen next. So I hope you can forgive me for this new story. I’ll sincerely try to limit them, or at least reduce them to short one and/or two shots._

 **_Vergil1989:_ ** _And no thanks to Nomad here, I got sucked into the fandom right along with him, except I started watching a bunch of Persona 5 stuff instead of playing it.  It still had the same effect of sucking me into their new story right from the get go, although with an awesome opening like that, it’d be hard not to be drawn in hehe.  At any rate, we’ll try our best to finish this before moving onto something else as has been our unfortunate modus operandi in the past.  For now though, enjoy the ride folks, enjoy the ride!_

_Cross posted on Nomad-117 on Fanfiction Net and on my profile for AO3 under Vergil1989._

**Chapter 1**

**It’s Show Time!**

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan: Yungen-Jaya, Leblanc Cafe**

**Date:  April 4th, 2018, Late Afternoon**

It was just another day at the small cafe known simply as Leblanc’s, located in a back alley in the Yungen-Jaya district of Tokyo, Japan.  “I hunger! Curry time!” Futaba declared cheerfully and sat down at the counter in Leblanc, her eyes locked with Sojiro’s, demanding to be fed.

“Coming right up.” Her father promised her with an exasperated smile. “Can I get anything for the rest of you?”  He asked as he glanced towards the rest of the cafe’s current occupants.  While some people would have found it slightly unusual that a group of college and high school kids were situated at two of his tables and at the front counter respectively, Sojiro didn’t think anything of it himself, having long grown used to their presence at his shop.

“A coffee for me, please.” Yusuke, an incredibly talented artist for his age, requested from beside his daughter, infinitely more polite than Futaba was by far.  Dressed in a white suit with soft blue highlights, Yusuke appeared the picture of artful elegance, half of his face obscured by blue bangs that fell down over his left eye.

“We’re good.” Ann promised with a wide smile while eating from the large portion of curry still in front of her.  Long, ash blonde locks fell across Ann’s shoulders in waves, spilling across her red and white hoodie and the open necked, black button up shirt beneath, along with long, loose blue jeans rolled up to her knees, her legs casually tucked beneath her rear end.  She was currently nestled between a young blonde man in a black leather jacket and a smartly dressed, dark brown haired young woman that was busy digging out a pile of papers from a dark brown messenger bag that she went about organizing in front of her.  Despite having already gone through half of what was on her plate, Ann showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon.  “Mmmm!  You always make the best curry in town Sojiro!”

The older man chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.  “It helps you and the rest of the gang allow me to change up the recipe every now and again using Wakaba’s formula.  She was the real genius, not me.”

“You give yourself too little credit Sojiro-san.”  Haru stated proudly from across Ann as she gingerly sipped at a cup of tea, a pile of paperwork stacked neatly in front of her as well.  Like the dark haired woman across from her, Haru was well dressed in a light pink top and a black dress skirt that went down to her knees.  Unlike the woman sitting across from her, Haru’s hair was done up in bouncy curls of light brown waves that only enhanced the girl’s soft, feminine charms.  Those that knew her though were well aware of the incredibly strong will behind her otherwise angelic face.

“Besides, was it not your own genius that kept her recipe alive?” Makoto asked rhetorically and graced the cafe owner with a small smile as she looked over her stack of college transcripts and information booklets. 

“This certainly brings back memories.” Akira sighed contently as he took a sip of his own cup of coffee.  Unlike the rest of them, he wasn’t looking over homework for school or information brochures for college.  He’d already taken care of all that before coming back to the big city yesterday evening, leaving his old life with his parents behind.  Of course, he wasn’t missing out on much in that department considering the mess with Masayoshi Shido and how easy it’d been for the former politician turned very short term prime minister to ruin his life while at the same time driving a wedge between himself and his parents.  But Akira didn’t regret his decision to try and protect the woman Shido had been harassing upon their first, fateful meeting.  He was far happier now than he’d ever been as he looked towards everyone in the cafe.  They were more his family than his blood relatives could ever be.  “At least now we’re not running around chasing down Shido and his followers.  We can just relax and go about our lives.”

“For real man.”  Ryuji cheered as he pumped a fist into the air.  “Two years, can’t believe how fast time’s flown by.  Seems like yesterday we were stumbling into Kamashido’s Palace and gettin’ our asses kicked until we got our Personas.”

“True, sometimes I really miss the old days.”  Akira mused as he put a hand against his face, remembering the feel of the mask he’d worn during their grand heists into the Metaverse.  With a sigh, he reached up instead to adjust his glasses before taking another sip of his coffee.

“You miss being chased around by Shadows and fighting your way through the hearts of deranged people?”  Asked a genuinely curious Makoto as she looked up from the work in front of her.

“Are you telling me you don't?” Akira asked with a knowing smirk. “Hell, I even considered becoming a thief for real, just like Arsene.  A gentleman thief that also helps people… but that might be a bit extreme for a college student.”

“I convinced him to wait.” Morgana smugly declared from his seat on the table.

“They didn’t need to know that.”  Akira chuckled despite being called out on his rebellious inclinations while the rest of his group of close friends shared in the light hearted banter.

“Well I’m glad you were able to talk him down Morgana.”  When everyone snapped their gaze towards Sojiro, the older man merely grinned knowingly before pushing his glasses further up his nose.  “I’ve been around long enough that my own cognition has finally caught up to the fact Morgana can talk.”

“You leveled up Sojiro!  Awesome!”  Cheered Futaba before she paled just as quickly.  “Uh….so you know-”

“That you were trying to hack that one corporation’s website again?  Yes, I do.  Funny what listening to a cat can reveal at odd hours of the night.”  Sojiro muttered darkly, his tone making it clear he wasn’t happy about Futaba’s late night shenanigans as he glared at a sheepish looking Morgana just as quickly.  “I appreciate what you’ve all done for this world, but I’d prefer if you’d kept yourselves _out_ of trouble.”

“S-sorry Sojiro-san.”  Morgana muttered as his big, black ears drooped visibly.  “But there’s something weird going on behind that group I asked Futaba to look into.  For one, I sensed something….familiar when I had Ryuji drive past their office building in downtown Tokyo.”

“What’s all this about?”  Yusuke asked as he looked up and towards the pair in question.  “And why weren’t the rest of us informed?”

“Because there wasn't anything to inform you about.” Morgana snapped back moodily. “It was just a feeling.  Whatever it was felt familiar, but I can’t figure out from where I know this feeling.  I just know it might be important.”

“Well, you were right the last time Morgana.”  Ann stated as she cocked her head to the side, “so if you say it’s something we should look into, then we’ll follow your lead.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”  Akira replied with a nod of his head.  “Besides, while I don’t like the idea of facing something like Yaldabaoth and his Holy Grail again, I’m not comfortable with the idea of letting this sit either and finding out we could have done something.  We’ll look into this, together.”

“Hell yeah!”  Ryuji cheered before his stomach gave a very loud rumble.  “Uh….but first, how bout some more of that awesome curry?  Yo Sojiro!”

“Yeah yeah I’m on it.”  Sojiro sighed but smiled despite his worry for the group’s well being.  “I know I can’t talk you out of this, but I still want you all to be careful.”

“When are we not?” Akira asked innocently and received a glare from the one man who had been more of a father to him then his biological one ever was.

“We will be Sojiro-san.”  Haru promised while none too subtly stepping on Akira’s foot beneath the table.

“The last time you got up to your shenanigans you faked your own death and had to battle a god.”  Sojiro growled back and shook his head as Akira subtly grimaced from Haru stepping on his foot. “I can't believe that you’d go back for more.”

“As strange as this might sound,” Yusuke began as he leaned back in the seat in front of the counter, “but I for one have to applaud our leader’s enthusiasm.  While I too have been immensely glad for a chance to relax and take it easy these last few years, I’ve also missed that part of my life a great deal.  Helping people, protecting everyone, it was quite possibly the greatest if most harrowing time of my life, and not simply because they saved me from my former master.  My eyes were opened to so much that I could never be content to settle back into old habits forever.”

“Damn… you still sound like a poet.” Ryuji muttered quietly scratching the back of his head. “But I totally agree, we’re Phantom Thieves right?  Let's do this!”

“Just remember to be quiet this time.” Ann told him sternly, glaring at her blonde friend.  “It’s because of your shouting that Makoto found out, and while that was actually a good thing, next time we might not be so lucky.”

“I’d have found out eventually.”  Makoto stated as she peered over the rim of a cup of coffee, her eyes narrowing to slits as she looked towards Ann.  “Ryuji isn’t the only loudmouth in the group after all.”

“Hey!  Why’re you looking at me when you say that?”  Protested a shocked Ann as she put a hand against her chest.

Makoto softly chuckled and smiled as she set her glass down before her.  “My point exactly.  But don’t take it hard Ann, my family _are_ deeply involved with the police after all.”

“Speaking of,” Haru began as she looked up and towards Makoto,” how is Sae-san doing?”

Makoto smiled brightly as she set her papers aside for the moment.  “She’s actually doing well.  We just got back from a trip to Mt. Fuji this weekend.  The scenery up there was breathtaking.  Remind me and I’ll show you all the pictures we took while we were out of town.”

“Oh, so that’s where you guys went.  I’m glad you had a good time Makoto.”  Intoned Sojiro as he set Ryuji’s fresh order of curry in front of the former track star.  “I called to go over some legal stuff involving the shop but you two weren’t home.  Guess that answered that question.”

“Everything okay Sojiro-san?”  Haru asked just as the rest of the group perked up.

“Hmm?  Oh yeah it’s fine.  Just getting some things in order is all, it’s nothing.”  He assured them, and while Akira wanted to ask for more information, he let it go since he knew Sojiro.  If it was truly serious, he’d tell them when he was ready, but he sounded so sure and calm about it that Akira didn’t feel the need to question the older man further.

Just as he was beginning to relax though, Akira’s eyes snapped towards a luminescent blue butterfly as it flew past the cafe’s large front window.   _Lavenza_.  He thought, and as if answering to her name, the butterfly, leaving a trail of sparkling white dust behind with every flap of its translucent wings, flared brightly with pale blue light before growing dim just as quickly before it flew out of sight.  Only Ann seemed to notice he was no longer paying them any attention, but she didn’t say anything as their eyes met.  Not that they needed any words as he only nodded his head the tiniest bit.

The rest of that afternoon was uneventful as Akira went upstairs to unpack the rest of his belongings.  Morgana, the black ‘tabby cat’, followed just behind Ann, and Ryuji while the rest of the group dispersed for the evening.  Yawning mightily, Ryuji flopped onto the comfortable couch that was against one side of the attic space that served as Akira’s room above the cafe.  “Man, just looking at all these boxes is makin’ me tired.  That part time delivery job I have these days is hard enough.”

“It’s not that bad.”  Akira retorted with a careless shrug.  “It was worse when I first got here.”  Nodding his head towards the remaining boxes scattered about the attic, he went to the closest of them and opened it up, revealing a stack of books inside.  “I was able to get most of this stuff sorted out last night.”

“Show off.”  Ryuji grumbled but smirked as he wiped his fist across the bottom of his mouth.  “But that’s why you’re the boss.”

“Quit whining Ryuji and lend a hand already.”  Morganna grumbled as he dipped his head into the box and snatched one of the lighter books between his jaws.  “Mmmmpphh.”  He groaned, the taste of old paper and dust filling his nose as he nimbly jumped down from the box and walked over to the shelf.

“Well, there’s something I never thought I’d see.”  Ann mused before turning towards Ryuji just as he got off the couch.  “I have to ask, but what were you even doing out that far Morganna?”

“Ryuji had a delivery out to the center of town and as we were heading back, that’s when I picked up that weird feeling.  I asked Futaba to look into it and she hit a firewall, and according to her, it was pretty airtight.”

“Even Futaba can’t hack it?”  Ryuji stammered out.

“If you ask her she could.” Morgana admitted and swished his tail impatiently. “But I don't think she could do it fast and undetected.  We’ve had enough run ins with the law already.”

“It… it didn’t feel like Yaldabaoth, right?” Ann asked worriedly glancing at her friends uncertainly.

Morganna was quick to assure them all as he hopped onto the arm of the couch.  “Mementos hasn’t returned, which means the Metaverse is still gone, but if it ever does, I’d be the first to know.  Yaldabaoth isn’t coming back in a hurry anyway since Joker blew his brains out all over the city.”

“He deserved it.”  Akira said, feeling the need to defend his decision.  “No one has the right to try and force their will upon anyone, especially a god that doesn’t play by his own rules.”

“No need to convince us Akira, but if it’s not the Metaverse, then what could it be?”  Ann asked before she looked towards Morganna, a thought having occurred to her.  “Say Morganna, has this kind of thing happened before?”

“Igor and Lavenza might know, but I was only born a couple of years ago, so anything that happened before I’d only be able to guess at.  But….”  He trailed off as he idly licked at one paw, his eyes closed as he cocked his head to the side in thought.  “I...think there have been other Persona users before us now that you bring it up.  I think there have also been other Tricksters, although they didn’t go by that name.”

“Regarding that…” Akira began uncomfortably and pushed his glasses further up his nose to gain some time. “I believe Lavenza is trying to contact me, at least… I think she is. I saw another ghostly butterfly earlier that flew by the front window to the cafe.  The only other times that happened was when she tried to contact me when I first got here, and again when I was in that interrogation room.”

“I thought I saw you looking at something earlier.”  Ann stated before letting out a heavy sigh.  Sitting down on one of the edge of his small table, she pulled her arms close across her stomach.  “So there is a connection.  Man...and I thought we’d be done with all this.”

“But didn’t you say that this… Igor guy, right? That Igor said your contract was finished?” Ryuji asked with a confused expression on his face. “How does that even work?”

“Ryuji you moron.”  Morgana sighed and shook his head.  “Yes, the contract was fulfilled, but what is to stop Joker or Igor from forming a new one with each other?  Or from another enemy like Yaldabaoth from rearing its ugly head?”

“Oh, yeah. Didn't think about that.” The blonde haired man admitted with a sigh. “Damn it, this sucks!”  Ryuji yelled before kicking at an emptied box, sending it flying across the room before flopping himself down on the couch once more and letting his head fall.  “We barely got through that last fight, now there might be something else on the way?”

“Easy, Skull.” Akira told his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. “We don't know anything yet, so it's too early to worry.  Besides, we battled through the unconscious desires of humanity before, we can do it again.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”  Ryuji replied as he looked up, an all too familiar grin forming on his face once more.  “We showed a _god_ what for, this shit’ll be easy by comparison if it does turn out to be something big like last time.”

“That’s the spirit.” The leader of the Phantom Thieves confirmed, a smirk on his face that was all Joker. “Besides we aren't in this alone, we got the others at our back and we know what we’re doing this time.  Having said that, it’ll still be smart to prepare as much as we’re able, whatever ends up happening.”  The two eldest members of the Phantom Thieves nodded in agreement as Akira turned to the last of the boxes.  On his unspoken lead, they helped unpack the rest of his belongings, making idle chitchat the whole time until Ryuji decided he’d been there too long.  His mother was likely worried about him despite he was old enough to watch over himself.

“Sorry dude, but I better go.  Ya comin’ Ann?”  Ryuji asked as he slung his black leather jacket onto his right shoulder.

“Uh...not just yet.  I’ll be right behind you.”

“Hmm?  Alright.  See ya soon then.”  Ryuji said before he yawned into his right fist as he started down the stairs to the main floor of the cafe.  “Nice seein’ ya Joker!”  He called up as he wandered down out of sight.

Akira wasn’t entirely sure why Ann had decided to stay behind, but he didn’t rush her as he sat down on the couch once more before patting the spot next to him.  Ann smiled and sat down next to him, but whatever good mood she’d been in began to fade away as her eyes fell to the floor between them.  “I’ve been worried about you, Akira.”

“What? Why? I called you, didn't I? I would have told you if something was happening.”

“It’s what you didn't say.” Ann replied sadly and lowered her gaze. “You never mentioned your parents, not even once… You know that my own parents aren’t around much either.  You were lonely, weren’t you?”

 _Damn female intuition._  Akira thought with an inaudible sigh.  He hadn’t wanted to worry anyone, and Ann had still noticed.  He really shouldn't have been surprised though, after all she often knew how people were feeling, sometimes better than the person themselves did.  “I guess it wouldn't do me any good to try to deny it, would it?”  In response he received an unamused glare that made it pretty clear that Ann wasn't interested in his attempt at humor, or his evasion tactics. “Yeah, didn't think so… Yes, I was lonely.” He admitted with a humorless chuckle. “I mean, I had Morgana… he was probably the only thing keeping me sane, but the thing is… you guys are my family.  Just calling you every once in awhile just didn't cut it.”

“Akira…”  Ann whispered, stunned by his admission, but she just as quickly smiled before wrapping her arms around him, her head falling against his shoulder.  Her waves of blonde hair fell across his neck and shoulders, her pleasant, sweet smelling soap and shampoo filling his nose as he took comfort from her embrace.  “You… you moron, why didn't you say anything?”

“I-”

“And don’t you dare say ‘I didn't want to worry you’.”

“Uh… In that case I remain silent.”  Akira chuckled softly as Ann leaned up and playfully shoved him back.

“Idiot.  You big, loveable dork.”  She mock grumbled even as she wiped at one large blue eye.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He told her playfully and softly fist bumped her shoulder. “You know, I think we should continue this tomorrow when we aren't as tired as we are now… you can scream at me as much as you want.”

“You just don't want to see me cry.”  Ann countered and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m not denying that.”  Akira chuckled again before scooting closer to her side of the couch despite the glare she threw his way.  He ignored it and smiled softly, warmly, and said, “I’m more worried about you having to explain to Shiho why your eyes are all red and puffy.”

“Right.  Because you’re not trying to delay the inevitable.”  Ann pouted, but try as she might, she couldn’t keep up her facade of being angry with him as she eventually sighed and leaned back against Akira’s shoulder.  “Seriously though Akira, don’t hold out on m- on us.  We’ve come too far to keep secrets from each other now.”

“You… You’re right.” He admitted and lowered his head in defeat. “I should have told you.  You, all of you deserved to know. I- I don't know I think it was more than just me trying to keep you from worrying, I think I was just dumb… thinking you’d think less of me if you knew.”

“That _is_ dumb.”  She muttered into his shoulder.

“Aren't you supposed to tell me that it wasn't dumb but a normal reaction that could have happened to anyone?”

“Doesn't make it any less dumb.”

“I can’t argue with that.”  Akira admitted and smiled despite the insult before he looked down towards Ann.  He raised an eyebrow when he saw that she had started to doze off.  Looking towards Morganna, the cat could only do his best impression of a shrug.  “Heh, guess I’ll take the couch.” He muttered quietly and gently lifted Ann up, careful not to wake her he carried her towards his modest, but comfortable bed and laid her down before pulling the blankets up to her chin.  “See you tomorrow Ann.”

“You better….stupid dork.”  Ann murmured in her sleep before turning on her side.  Akira just smiled and shook his head before plopping himself down on the couch.  Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

Quietly arranging a few things to his liking once he was sure Ann was fast asleep, Akira turned in not much later.  As was typical in their sleeping arrangements, Morganna plopped himself down on top of his chest once he’d pulled the blankets up to his neck.  Despite the cramped quarters, he didn’t mind as he got as comfortable as he could.  “Good night Morgana.”

“G’night Joker.”  The cat replied, having already curled up into a small ball on his chest, his furry head tucked against his side.  “Meow….it’s good to be home.”

A grin formed on Akira's face at that as tears of joy began to well up in his eyes. For the first time in two years he felt right, like he was finally where he was supposed to be. “Yeah, it’s the best.”

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan: Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc Cafe**

**Date:  April 5th, 2018, Early Morning**

The sound of someone’s cellphone going off was what woke Akira up early that morning.  Blinking his eyes, he was momentarily confused as to where he was until he looked towards the nearby bed pressed against the far corner of the attic.  Seeing Ann still peacefully asleep, he relaxed as he remembered that he’d finally returned to Sojiro’s second home, the first being a small house just a little walk away from the cafe itself.  Stretching as Morgana began to stir, Akira sat up and let the cat hop down before swinging his legs over the side of the couch before glancing towards the source of the incessant ringtone.  Realizing it was coming from Ann’s pocket, Akira let it go since it was likely her modeling agent or Shiho wondering where she was.

Besides, he wasn't about to wake Ann up and risk getting hit by her.  He had seen what she did when Yusuke caught her those two times, the girl packed a punch.  He didn’t have to worry about it though as Ann soon began to stir and blink blurry blue eyes before she turned towards him.  He smiled softly and nodded his head before heading downstairs to get some coffee while she got herself put together.

“Good morning Lady Ann.”  He heard Morgana call over one black, fur covered shoulder before the cat landed on Akira’s back.

“Morning, Morgana.” Ann replied sleepily obviously not quite awake yet and yawned loudly. “I’ll come down… soon.”

Despite having some doubts that she would actually get up Akira merely nodded in reply and continued on downstairs where he could already smell the tempting scent of freshly made coffee.  Unsurprisingly, Sojiro was already up and about, preparing for another day behind the counter.  “Hey there.  Gotta get used to seeing you in the shop again.”  Sojiro chuckled as he put the fresh pot of coffee on the countertop along with three clean glasses for himself, Akira, and Ann as she came down a few moments later.

“I gotta get used to being here again.” Akira replied cheerfully and grinned mischievously. “Not that that's gonna take long.”

“Heh, I bet.  Ann.  Order’s on the left.”

“Huh?  Oh thanks Sojiro-senpai.”  Ann replied as she looked up from the cellphone in her hands as she sat down at the counter.  Taking the offered cup, she smiled and nodded her thanks before taking a sip.  A contented, satisfied noise of approval escaped her as the comfortably warm coffee went down her throat.  “Ahhh….that hit the spot.”

“Glad to hear that.” Sojiro smirked and turned towards Akira, a teasing glint in his eyes.  “So you just got here and already a girl stays the night, huh?”

 _I knew it._ Akira thought as he shook his head in amusement. The moment it became evident that Ann would stay the night, he had prepared for the teasing he would receive, not just from Sojiro, but from the rest of the Phantom Thieves as well once they got wind of it.  Still, he waved Sojiro off as he got comfortable next to Ann who was looking much more aware now that she had gotten a little coffee in her system.  “Don't make it sound so dirty.” Akira muttered and sent a mock glare at the older man.  “We just got to talking and she ended up falling asleep on my shoulder.”

“Hahahaha, I figured something like that happened.”  Sojiro reassured them both as Ann, finally catching on, about sprayed what was in her mouth all over the countertop.  “You and the rest of the group might be enormous risk takers when it comes to that other place, but you’re some of the most responsible kids I’ve ever met.  I trust you not to do anything you’d regret later.”

“Gee thanks Sojiro.”  Ann muttered but smiled despite how red her cheeks were from the not so subtle insinuation that had been left between them.

“He really shouldn't embarrass Lady Ann like that.” Morgana grumbled and narrowed his eyes at the confused Sojiro. “Still, he’s got a point, don’t do anything too stupid, alright? I can't save you all the time.”

“Duly noted.”  Akira retorted with a playful roll of his eyes.  “I take it Futaba has classes until later today?”  He asked as he looked towards Sojiro next, who’s smile faded at the seemingly innocent question.

“Yes, and you don’t need to act so coy Akira.”  Sighing heavily, Sojiro picked up a couple paper napkins and handed them over to Ann before leveling his gaze fully upon Akira.  Leaning forward on the counter, Sojiro said, “If you’re really determined to see this through, I’d like to be kept in the loop this time around, especially since you’re dragging Futaba into it.  I know she’ll do her own thing regardless of what I might tell her, but she-”

“I know, Sojiro.”  Akira replied softly, his gaze unwavering even as he nodded his head in understanding.  “If there was another option, I’d gladly pursue it, but she’s the only hacker we know and that I’d trust to do this right.  I’ll keep her safe, I promise.”

“We all will.”  Ann added as she set her glass down.

“I know you will.” Sojiro sighed tiredly and leaned heavily against the counter. “Or at least you’ll try, but I don’t want any of you to get hurt either.”

“We’ll do our best to avoid that. Right now, we’re only gathering information if things become more serious we’ll tell you.”  Akira promised, which set Sojiro at ease, if only slightly as he went back to preparing for the morning rush.

“If it’s any consolation, all of our previous heists took at least a week to prepare for before we even went to a Palace.”  Ann added in an effort to further placate the understandably worried Sojiro.

“That doesn’t exactly make me feel better.” Sojiro shot back tiredly and shook his head. “Seriously, you kids have a really skewed sense of what's normal and what's not.”

“Comes with the territory.” Akira told him with a small smirk. “I mean how would we get anything done otherwise?”

“Heh, guess I can’t argue with that.”  Despite how worried he was for Futaba’s safety, let alone the rest of them, Sojiro turned back to the counter with a small, pleased little smile on his face once more.  “Guess I better get used to being worried about you crazy kids all over again.  And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to this in my own weird little way.  Probably the most excitement I’ve had in a long time.”

“Oh don’t worry… it will be quite the show.”  How Akira knew that, he couldn’t have said, only that he felt certain that whatever ended up happening, it would be a show to remember.  For the moment though, he and Ann lent what help Sojiro needed to prepare for the rest of the day’s customers before leaving the man to his cafe.  Once the chores were taken care of and the sign out front had been flipped over to show the cafe was open for business again, Akira led the way to an all too familiar back alley deeper in Yongen-Jaya.

He was disappointed though when he didn’t see the familiar, somewhat translucent, free standing door at the end of the alley.  Walking to the end, he sighed and shook his head when there was no bright flash of light, no luminescent butterflies fluttering about his head, or hair of Lavenza or the twins, Caroline or Justine.  Looking towards Ann and Morgana, the former giving him a slightly confused glance, Akira merely shrugged as he started back.

The bright flash of light at his back had him, Ann, and Morgana turning right back around as the Velvet Room door appeared before it opened on its own.  “Guess that answers that question.”  Akira muttered aloud as he beckoned the two to follow him.  The moment they stepped through the threshold, Akira’s clothes changed in a blaze of blue spectral flames along with Ann and Morgana.

“Whoa...it’s good to be back but then this means you were right.”  Ann, now dressed in the red, skintight latex outfit of her Panther alter ego, groaned as he too realized that things were about to get far more interesting in the foreseeable future.

“I’m not complaining, at least I can walk upright again.”  Morgana said as he crossed his arms over his small chest as he took the lead.  “I haven’t been able to walk on two legs since the last time we were in the Metaverse.”

Adjusting his red leather gloves as well as the long, black trench coat that hung off of his slender frame, Akira, now dressed as his own alter ego, Joker, followed after Morgana with Ann just behind him in turn.  “Then let’s see what this is all about, shall we?” Joker asked the two of them with a smug grin and continued on ahead, practically feeling them falling in line behind him.  It was just like old times, with everyone naturally following his lead even before he’d been named their leader.  Looking over his shoulder, he nodded his head towards the spectral monstrosity that appeared in a blaze of blue fire.  Large, red jagged feathery wings unfurled as the gentleman thief, Arsene, appeared, tipping a large, black top hat in acknowledgement to Joker.  “Good to see you again Arsene.”

“I never left your side, Trickster.  You simply did not need my aid any longer.”  Arsene replied, his voice different than his own, yet similar as it echoed from both the bird like thief’s mouth, and from within the depths of Akira’s soul.  “Now we are united once more, and you’re right in what you’ve deduced already.  This will be quite the show indeed!”

“Then let’s give the people an encore they won’t soon forget.”  Stopping at the end of the hallway, before a set of two white, heavily gold embossed doors, Joker pushed them aside and went right for the front desk where an impossibly long nosed, black suited gentleman sat.  At his right, a platinum blonde girl in a blue dress, a pair of multicolored butterfly clips tucked behind her ears, and a blue and white headband resting upon her head, stood silent vigil, her gold eyes falling upon them both.  “Lavenza, Igor, it’s been a while.”

“It has indeed, Akira Kurusu, and welcome back, to the Velvet Room.”

“Indeed, it has been some time since your last visit.”  Lavenza said in turn with a respectful nod of her head.

“It's good to be back, though I fear reunions are gonna have to wait a bit.” Akira said and cocked his head to the side. “Since you’re not Yaldabaoth, I hope that you’re gonna give me a clear answer.  How bad is it?”

Igor’s grin widened even further at that. “Trickster, I have no doubt that the ruin you are about to face surpasses even the threat of Yaldabaoth. Provided, of course, you accept this path.”

“Why wouldn't we accept?” He questioned slowly and narrowed his eyes.

“Because the coming ruin will occur in a time not your own.”  Lavenza answered, and allowed the trio to process just what she’d dropped on their lap.

“Wait, what?”  Ann stammered out while Morgana could only gape, his mouth hanging open as his large blue eyes dilated to pinpricks.

“To answer your question, my young friends, it was proven that Shadows, when properly harnessed for their unique abilities, could control the very fabric of time itself.  While it is not something I’ve done often, it is within my power to assist you in reaching your next target, but what you do from there will be up to you and those you have gathered to your side.”

“Would we be able to come back once it’s over?”  Asked Ann as she looked between Lavenza and Igor, the desperate note in her voice unable to be ignored.

The certain, assured nod Igor gave them helped to lay some of their fears to rest.  “Of course, Panther.  Those that are under a contract with us in this place, are looked after to the best of our ability.  It is our due and our responsibility to take care of our charges, to ensure that their chances of success are at their highest.

“Alright, as I understand it you want to send us through time, my guess is the future since the past would mean some weird time-loop paradox or something like that, correct?” Akira asked for clarification and received nods from both Igor and Lavenza. “Alright, we’ll have to explain that to the others before we can commit ourselves to anything.”

“Of course, Trickster.” Igor was quick to agree. “After all, their strength will be sorely needed in this new adventure.”

“Before you come back to this place however,” Lavenza began as she walked towards them, “you would be wise to investigate this lead one of your own has already begun to uncover.  The sins of the past will lead you to much needed answers, and perhaps more, in the future that you will bear witness to in due time.”

“Alright.”  Akira stated with a determined nod of his head.

“We’ll return once we have more to go on, Master.”  Morgana agreed as his gaze settled on Igor’s face.

“Just one more question.” Akira began and put a hand to his chin in thought. “What about Satanael?”

“That power is yours to command as you see fit, Trickster.  However, I must caution you against using it recklessly.  Such power could easily destroy far more than you might intend it to.”

“Alright.  I’ll not use it lightly.”  Akira promised as he started for the door, but Lavenza suddenly appearing in front of him stopped him dead in his tracks.

Cocking his head to the side, he wasn’t sure what Lavenza wanted to say, although that wasn’t surprising since she had surprised him several times in the same day, and that wasn’t counting the fact he had had to fuse the twins together just to restore the ‘young girl’ to her present state.  He didn’t have to wait long for her to answer his unspoken question however.  “What I said before, during our last meeting, was premature on my part, Joker.  Just know that if you continue down this path, the next time we meet, I shall be a very different person, but I will always remember those brief moments we shared quite fondly.”

“Uh….right.” He said slowly, rather unsure how to respond to that before he decided to just go with his gut and lightly patted her head. “No matter what I choose, it was good to see you again Lavenza.  I’ve missed you.” The small girl beamed at the simple admission, and graced him with another smile before stepping out of the way.  Glancing towards Ann, Akira chuckled at the strange glare she was sending his way.  “I’ll tell you later.”  He promised, remembering that the last time he’d talked to Lavenza and the twins, he and the group had been forced into a confrontation with Caroline and Justine, a fight only he remembered.  After they’d won, barely, Caroline and Justine had admitted they felt quite strongly for him, feelings that had passed onto Lavenza when he had restored her to her rightful form.  While he hadn’t been anymore sure how to respond to their admissions of love then as he’d been now, Akira hadn’t outright refused the sentiment either.

But that didn’t change the fact Ann was now giving him the stink eye as he led the way back outside.  No sooner had they crossed the threshold did Ann’s face soften despite the worry that he could still see behind her blue eyes, and she sighed heavily before saying, “I guess we have to wait on Futaba then.”

 _Thank you Lavenza._  Akira said nothing as he nodded his head, having a feeling the resident of the Velvet Room had done another slight memory alteration to both Ann and Morgana since both seemed oblivious to that particular part of their conversation.  “Seems that way.”  He agreed before heading for the end of the alleyway with both trailing just behind him.  “Let’s see if we can’t at least prepare for whatever’s on the horizon.”

 **End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _Tada, first chapter done. Hope you all enjoyed it. And to all those who are patiently waiting for the next update for one of my older stories I would like to thank you all for being far better readers than I deserve._


	2. Research and Errands

**Chapter 2**

**Research and Errands**

* * *

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan: Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc Cafe**

**Date:  April 5th, 2018, Early Afternoon**

“So, when are you gonna tell Boss the news?” Morgana asked Akira and swished his tail. “You did promise to tell him when things got dangerous, after all.”

“Let’s just buy some equipment first, I need time to think about how to explain it to him.” Akira muttered as he reached around and scratched Morgana’s back. “I kinda doubt that he’d react well to the whole time travel bit we’d have to endure first.”

“ _ I’m _ not reacting well to that either!” Ann couldn't help but point out frantically.

“True, but we’re already somewhat used to weird, Sojiro however is only tangentially connected.” Akira replied before he gave a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. “At least we haven't been attacked yet.”

“Ugh, and now it wouldn’t surprise me if something were to jump out at us.”  Ann muttered as she shook her head, her long pigtails bouncing across her shoulders as she kept pace with Akira as they navigated their way through the narrow streets of the district.  “So where to first?”  She asked with a heavy, resigned sigh.

“I was planning on visiting Iwai, after all we need to make someone hurt.” Akira said with a grin and chuckled. “Or do you still got that whip that electrifies enemies?”

“I….uh...might have kept it.”  Admitted a furiously blushing Ann as she looked away so fast that her pigtails nearly hit Morgana in the face as he ducked down with a startled yowl.  “It doesn’t electrify anyone outside of Mementos, but it was….a souvenir.  Yeah that’s it.”

“Wow Lady Ann, someone’s-”  Morgana never got a chance to finish before Ann clamped a hand over his mouth, a very dark, menacing look appearing on her face.

“Finish that sentence and I’ll skin you right here.”  Akira smirked despite the fact Morgana was turning a little blue before Ann let his mouth go.  It was oddly reassuring to know some things hadn’t changed as the cat gulped down air in loud gasps.

“It’s good to see that some things will never change.” Akira said cheerfully only to take a sudden step back when Ann directed her glare towards him.

“And you, stop smiling so smugly.”  Ann growled low in her throat as she leaned close towards his face.

“Yep, don't change at all.” Akira muttered, grin still present on his face even as he made it a point to put on an extra burst of speed before Ann could get any bright ideas.  He chuckled softly as Ann yelled after him before catching up with him and Morgana moments later.  By then he was disappearing into Iwai’s pawnshop, but he was nice enough to hold the door open for her once she had caught up.  “After you.”

“Hmph.  Jerk.”  She muttered, but she couldn’t stay mad forever and they both knew it.  Still, she made it a point to at least pretend to give him the cold shoulder as she marched past him into the pawnshop slash airsoft vendor, him and Morgana close behind.

“Heh, thought I’d heard your voice.” Iwai greeted him with a gruff smile as he stepped out of the backroom. “So what can I do for you today, mister gun-enthusiast?”  Despite being ex yakuza, a secret that hadn’t taken Akira long to uncover, Iwai was a good man and one that he had come to respect a great deal as he approached the counter with a smile just as Iwai held out a hand to the young man.  Grasping the limb, Iwai squeezed his hand almost to the point of pain, but Akira bore it without complaint.  “Still got that look in your eye I see.  I remember that look from when you and the Phantom Thieves took on that freak of nature two years back.”

“It's good to see you Iwai.  You look good, you know for a thug.” Akira shot back with as a smirk replaced the soft smile, aware that the man didn't mind being called such, at least by him.  He had helped reconnect him and his adopted son, and to clear Iwai of any debt to his former ‘brothers’ in the yakuza all at the same time.

“Wiseass.”  Iwai replied with a gruff, amused snort as he ran a hand across his stubble covered chin.  “You don’t look too bad yourself kid.  When you gonna settle down and get a life like the rest of us mere mortals?”

“Can’t.  Apparently someone didn’t get the message the first time so we’re getting the gang back together.”

“I’d hate to be on the wrong side of you folks, but if my model guns can somehow help in putting this thing to bed that much quicker, you’re free to take what ya need kid.  Least I can do for all you did back in the day.”

“Thanks, Iwai, I appreciate it, really.” Akira assured him only to look at Ann when she coughed.

“Uh… aren't we still uncertain whether to do this in the first place or not?”

“Yeah, so?”

“You just want an excuse to get equipment like in the good old day, don't you?”

“Yup.” Akira confirmed without even an ounce of shame.

“At least you’re honest.”  Ann blew out an exasperated sigh but smiled despite herself.  “Fine, let’s get this over with then.”

“Oh don’t act like you aren’t having fun Lady Ann.”  Morgana said as he hopped over onto Ann’s back when she turned around to look at something on a nearby wall.  “Besides, it’s better to be safe than sorry.  That’s one of the most basic lessons I could have taught ya!”

Ann’s reply to that was to none too gently yank Morgana by the ear with two fingers.  “Can it cat.”

“Ow, Lady Ann-” Morgana hissed as he tried to pull away from her grasp. “Joker, help me.”

“You got this.” Their resident Trickster assured him with a thumbs up before returning to checking the available merchandise.  Morgana’s continued yowling and Ann’s quiet bickerings went largely unheeded by both him and Iwai even as he gave them a curious glance over Akira’s shoulder.  “You get used to it after a while.”

“Heh, I bet.  She not a cat person I take it?”

“Something like that.”  Akira wasted no more time in discussing his friends’ antics, having since spotted what he was after for himself and the rest of the gang.  Once their business was concluded and a few more pleasantries were exchanged, Akira slung a heavy black and gray duffel bag across his back before making his way outside with Morgana and Ann hot on his heels.  A glance towards them both revealed their fighting had left the other noticeably ruffled, but they looked none the worse for wear despite that.  “So, you two settled down yet?”

“Hmph.”  Both Morgana and Ann said at the same time as they made it a point to look anywhere but at him directly.

“So, we got armor, weapons, should we get the medicine?” Akira asked innocently and smiled at the glares he was receiving. “But remember to be on your best behaviour children, Takemi doesn't like rowdy patients.”

“You’re one to talk.” Morgana retorted with a shake of his head. “You’re just lucky she’s fond of her guinea pig.”

“True, but Takemi’s more than she appears on the surface.”

“We all are.”  Ann intoned, her face no longer a mask of feigned anger as she followed after Akira as he led the way to Takemi’s small clinic.  “Didn’t she use you to help develop some kind of medicine for a rare disease?”

“Yeah, last I heard, the little girl she was determined to save is doing much better now.”  Akira confirmed with a nod of his head as they soon found themselves in front of the gothic doctor’s front door.  Despite representing the Death Arcana, Takemi was anything but an angel of death. If anything she tried to hide her caring nature behind a moody and uncaring facade, but he’d born witness to her metamorphosis from disgraced medical practitioner, to a truly compassionate doctor and brilliant researcher.  And that was what Death was about as far as his research had shown him when he’d begun to look into the different Arcanas, one’s transformation as they went through their lives into something more than they were before when they started.

With a mischievous grin on his face, he opened the door to the small clinic eyes zeroing in on the form of Tae Takemi behind the counter, who apparently was busy writing something. “I’ll be with you in a moment.”  She muttered without looking up.

His grin widening, he walked up to the counter and laughed quietly.  “Is that anyway to welcome your guinea pig?”

His chosen words had an immediate effect as Takemi looked up, her neutral expression shattering like so much glass as she let out a soft gasp before remembering herself almost as quickly.  “Well well well, looks like the rumors were true after all.  Welcome back, and no, I suppose you’re right, eh Phantom Thief?”

“Looks that way.” He replied with a small shrug. “Though I suppose I should have been more careful. In the end so many people figured it out just because we helped them.”

Takemi’s dark smirk still had the desired effect of making Akira slightly nervous as she said, “After roping me into helping people, you don’t get to complain.”

“Yes, Doctor Takemi.” Akira muttered, remembering well the various tests and concoctions she had had him partake of during her initial research.  A few times he hadn’t been entirely sure she hadn’t been trying to kill him for annoying her and all but blackmailing her so that she’d sell him medication for their journey into Mementos, but that was before he found out why she’d been so hell bent in making her medicine work.  Afterwards, he had been reasonably certain that she wasn’t trying to kill him, finding someone willing to drink her strange concoctions wasn't easy after all, but more importantly, she genuinely cared about her patients and wanted the best for them, himself included, despite her facade she tried to maintain around everyone.

Ann though interrupted his thoughts as she crossed her arms and chuckled at the way he seemed to fold beneath Takemi’s evil little smile.  “Wow, if I’d known that’s all it took to make you behave, I’d have come here a lot sooner.”

“Hahahaha, I see.”  Takemi laughed merrily, her facade slipping away again, but she made no effort to hide her true feelings as she let her gaze settle on Ann next.  “I always wondered if there was another person in his life, now I see there is.”

“Whoa!  Hold on we-”  Ann began to protest, her cheeks a bright red against her pale skin, but another light hearted laugh silenced her as Takemi waved a hand dismissively.

“Oh I don’t know, I think you two would look good together.”

“Hmm.” Akira mused and turned to look at Ann, giving her a once over before his eyes settled on her eyes. “Well, Ann certainly looks good.”

The girl in question became an even brighter red in response. “Y-you jerk!” She shouted and tried to hit him, only his quick reflexes saving him from a devastating slap.

“It was a compliment!  A compliment!” Akira told her, hoping to calm her down, and while the dangerous glint in her eye didn’t subside, Ann did stop trying to hit him. “Come on, Ann. It’s me, you know me. I know you’re more than just your looks, so please stop trying to rip my head off.”

“Oh...r-right right, sorry.”  She stammered out apologetically before hurriedly saying, “A-anyway, it’s good to see you again Takemi-san.”

“Please, the pleasure’s mine, but something tells me this isn’t a mere social visit.  You’re here for more aid, planning to tango with another god?”

“That’s what we’re hoping to avoid, but so far it looks like things might be heading that way again.”

“Tsk, you always get yourself in trouble.” Takemi commented idly, but nonetheless began to bring him some of the medicine he always used to buy from her.  “That enough for now?  Or are you gonna get really crazy?”

“Hopefully this’ll do for now.  It helps most of the stuff we didn’t use the first time I stored away.  Waste not and all that.”

“Smart kid, but then again you always were.”  Takemi mused as Akira gingerly put the various bottles and ampoules away into a side pocket in his duffel bag.  When he went to pay for it all though, Takemi shook her head and smiled freely.  “On the house, for saving the world two years ago.  Besides, between the research we did and the funding I receive from my benefactors, I’m not hurting for money anymore.  Whatever I don’t use to further my research, I use here to help people, just like I always wanted to do.”

“I’m glad but surely there must be something I can do to repay you Doctor.”

Akira was momentarily taken aback when Takemi stepped out from behind her counter, walked up to them, and put a hand on his shoulder.  “Simply do what you’ve always done, and that’ll be enough for me.”

“Fair enough, I suppose.” Akira agreed after a short moment of contemplation. “Well, hopefully it's nothing serious.  I was looking forward to getting some peace and quiet.”

“Good luck on that, my little guinea pig.”  Takemi chortled before turning her gaze to Ann and Morgana, her fingers lightly running across the scruff of the black cat’s neck even as she addressed Ann.  “Take care of yourselves, for tomorrow’s uncertain.  And Ann was it?  I wasn’t kidding about you two, you’d do well to keep him close.  It’s not everyday you meet someone like our Akira.”

“Uh….thanks?” Ann asked rather than stated and looked just as lost at the doctor's comment as she looked.

Despite being stroked by Takemi’s fingers, and enjoying every second of it, Morgana was still present enough to tap the back of Ann’s head with one paw.  “Hey, stop stammering. You aren't the only one looking after him.”

“Noisy fellow isn’t he?” Takemi asked as she continued to stroke Morgana. “Always meowing in that complaining tone, is that cat ever satisfied?”

“Not usually.”  Ann deadpanned, more than a little grateful that not everyone was able to understand the pesky feline.  “Shove a fish in his mouth though and he’ll shut up.”

“Tuna….”  Drooled a suddenly ravenous Morgana before he nimbly hopped over to Akira’s shoulder a moment later.  “Hey!  We should go get some sushi before we head back to Leblanc’s!”

“Sorry Doctor, but we better get going.”  Akira said even as he gave Morgana a tired, resigned sigh as he began to verbally list every kind of seafood he could remember.  It’d have been funny except for the fact Morgana was half the reason he was normally broke anymore.  Still, he smiled as he grasped Takemi’s offered hand once he had gotten his bag back across his back.  “It’s been good seeing you again.”

“You too Akira, Ann, Morgana.  Take care of yourselves.”

“We will.  And tell that little girl I said hey.”  Akira offered as he led the way back onto the street, with Takemi nodding her head before she started back for her small counter once more. With one last parting glance they left the small clinic and stepped out into what little sunlight was left. “So… call the others and meet up at Leblanc?”  He asked, curious to hear what Ann and Morgana thought what they should do next.

“Huh?  Oh yeah, that’s probably a good idea Joker.”  Replied Morgana as he was drawn out of his earlier imaginings with a rapid shake of his head before looking towards Ann.  “What do you say Lady Ann?”

If Ann was still bothered by what Takemi had said to them, to her in particular, she didn’t show it as she nodded her head, a bright, beaming smile on her face once more.  “Yeah, sounds like a plan.  And as much as I just know I’m going to regret this, we can stop by and grab some sushi on the way back to the cafe.”  Morgana’s cheery meow as the cat all but jumped into the air before landing once more on Akira’s back left both him and Ann sighing heavily since they knew this was likely not going to end well.  “At least he’s happy.”

“Yup.” Akira sighed and shook his head. “That cat will be the death of me with how much he eats.”

* * *

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan: Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc Cafe**

**Date:  April 5th, 2018, Early Evening**

It took some time for them to get back to Leblanc’s, laden down with the team’s various orders once they called to let everyone know what the plan was, but Akira, Ann, and Morgana were greeted with cheers and polite introductions from everyone when they arrived at last.  Futaba, predictably, was the first to snatch one of the plastic bags of food from Akira’s grasp before she grinned, her eyes sparkling as she made a beeline for the counter.  “Thanks Akira.  Hehehe, tuna rolls here I come!”

“Thank you for bringing back a veritable feast Akira.”  Yusuke politely stated as Akira and Ann set everything down on the front counter.

“Dude, you are the best.” Ryoji was quick to reassure him as he grabbed his own bag.

“Thank you for your kindness.” Haru said almost shyly and gave him a small smile before sitting down at one of the tables.

“Thank you.” Makoto told him sincerely before the satisfied smile slid of her face. “But I guess you did more today then just buy sushi.”  She deduced after looking towards the heavily laden duffel bag Akira had since slid underneath his seat by the counter.  He only nodded over his shoulder as he too began to get comfortable between Ann and Futaba, with Morgana sitting just in front of his plate, but it was enough for Makoto to sigh as she put two and two together.  “You really believe it then.”

“We’d be fools not to, not with Igor and Lavenza both warning us something’s coming.”  As much as it hurt to admit it, to make it real for them all after everything they’d been through, Akira wasn’t about to back down from the challenge that yet lay before them either.  He hadn’t come this far just to turn tail and run simply because they had already earned their well earned rest once already.  However, spinning around on the bar stool, he faced the rest of the team, his veneer softening considerably as he said, “But I understand and wouldn’t hold it aga-”

“Save it dude, we’re coming with you and that’s that.”  Ryuji stated as he leaned back in the booth, his arms outstretched across the back of the seat and one leg crossed at the knee.

“Guys…” He began but stopped himself for a moment before he continued. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat it.  If we accept we’ll be sent into the future with no way back, to face yet another horrible threat, and according to Igor, it’ll probably be worse than good ol’ Yaldabaoth.” He clenched his fists at the memory of that particular god and shook his head in an attempt to focus. “I don’t have the right to ask this of any of you.”

“You know leader, for being smart, you can be pretty dumb.” Ryuji told him flatly and shrugged. “You don't have to ask us, you never did. It was always our choice to stick around. I mean sure, it sounds bad, but letting you go alone sounds even worse, so let's do this!”

“While I agree with Ryuji, we shouldn’t simply rush into this either.”  Makoto stated, as always their voice of reason, which was in most cases a relief to Akira even as Ryuji began to protest.  A quick look from the reddish brown eyed woman though silenced him on the spot.  “For one, if we really can’t return to this time and place once we succeed in our mission, we should be sure to prepare ourselves mentally for the possibility we may never see our loved ones again.”  She let that sink in for everyone, even Haru despite the fact all of her family were either too distant or were no longer around, before continuing.  “And two, there’s still the matter of finding out whatever it is that we were told to look into.  We still have time to reconsider our choice, or to prepare for our jump.”

“When you put it like that…..damn it, suddenly I feel like a monkey’s ass.”  Ryuji muttered as thoughts of his mother began to flash behind his eyes.  He wasn’t the only one that was having similar thoughts either as Makoto, Yusuke, Futaba, and Ann all fell silent for several moments as they considered the people they’d potentially be leaving behind if they decided to leave.  Even Haru wasn’t immune to this as she considered those that worked for Okumura Foods, those that she had vowed to do her best to watch over.

“That was one of the smartest things you’ve ever said, Ryuji.” Morgana told him with a haughty tone. “But we already took care of our gear and medicine at least.”

“Wait, so that shopping thing wasn't an excuse for a date with Ann?” Ryuji asked, genuinely surprised, and scratched the back of his head. “I figured after her staying the night you two would totally do something like that.”

_ It’s strange. _ Akira mused as he watched Ann trying to slap Ryuji over the table.  _ He always seems to know exactly what to say to get her riled up. _ Still he was grateful that he wasn't the target of her ire this time. “Let's focus on the matter at hand.” He suggested calmly, ignoring the looks the others gave him at the rapid subject change. This wasn't over, he just knew it. “As it stands, our target is in the future, and I don’t think we’d be able to get info on them in our time, but Lavenza told me we should continue investigating our current lead before returning to the Velvet Room, as Makoto already suggested.  I figured we could at least do that without too much trouble.”

“You mean I should finish the hack job I started.”  Futaba corrected them as she smirked, pulling out her high powered laptop from beneath her seat and setting it in front of her.  Pushing her food to the side, the brilliant tech whiz and information gatherer Persona User was soon knee deep in the hack.  “I was able to find some stuff online about these guys I’m lookin’ into.  Turns out about twenty years ago, the Kirijo Group were pretty knee deep in some shady business around Tatsumi Port Island.  Details are pretty scarce, but from what I discovered, there was some kind of explosion where a local high school, Gekkoukan High, now sits, and a lot of people ended up dead, while countless others simply vanished.  I’m hoping to find out more once I penetrate the company firewall.  This could take a while though, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.  I am the original Medjed after all.  Mwhahahaha!”

“Take your time.” Akira told her with a shooing hand motion. “I want to know as much as possible, but I’d rather have it undetected and slow rather than them tracking us down.” He explained his reasoning and went on before she could protest. “I know you are more than good, Futaba. You are actually kind of scary, but thing is if we could simply wait for this thing to come around, Igor wouldn't have to send us into the future, so we probably got enough time for you to make it slow and steady.”

“How boring, but fine….I’ll do this smart then.  Hmm, might be better to do this at my place then with my beast machine.”  Futaba mused as she tapped at her chin before powering down her laptop in rapid order and putting it back in her computer bag beneath her stool.  “I can do a lot more from there with a lot more of a safety net.  Good thinking Akira, but you’re like that annoyingly wise sage NPC that always seems to pop up in every game since Pong.”  Akira chuckled but nodded his head, grateful she was taking him seriously.

“Thanks.” He muttered dryly and couldn't help but chuckle at Futaba's antics. “You always know how to put things into perspective.”

“What’s the rest of us to do while Futaba is attempting to break through their firewalls?” Yusuke asked and pushed his now empty plate away from him. “I fear my artistic talents will be of no help here.”

“Good thing I already have a list of names of people that I think might have been involved in something not so dissimilar to our own little trip into Mementos.”  Futaba stated as she pulled out a piece of paper that she handed over to Akira.  “Mitsuru Kirijo’s at the top, followed by Yukari Takeba, and Akihiko Sanada.  We find them, we might be able to get some intel on what we’re getting into.  Mitsuru’s likely gonna be the hardest to get close to though since she’s the current head of the Kirijo Group.”

“And I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Yukari’s name somewhere before.  Wait...oh crap!  She’s the Pink Featherman!”  Ryuji yelled as he sat bolt upright, his head snapping towards Futaba so quickly the rest of the group were sure he had hurt his neck.  If he had, he didn’t notice as he continued, “She was all over TV not that long ago, but I got no clue if she’s still doing episodes for Neo Featherman anymore.  Either way, she’ll be hard to follow around too.”

“Especially if she has fans the same way most celebrities do.”  Ann stated, knowing all too well what fame and fortune tended to do to one’s personal life.  “She’s probably used to being followed around by people, and likely knows how to keep a low profile.”

“And from what I’ve been able to dig up, Akihiko Sanada is a wanderer.”  Futaba butted in as Akira passed the list on to Ann, who quickly let Yusuke have it once she had reached across the way between the counter and the booth behind her.  “He doesn’t stay in one spot for long periods of time, but he tends to gravitate towards fighting rings and boxing matches.  He’s got a pretty impressive win loss ratio under his belt.”

“Any idea where he’ll most likely show up next?”  Akira asked as he finished off what little remained on his plate before gently pushing it aside.

“Sorry, no boxing matches or fighting rings I know of are currently holding tournaments.” Futaba said with a determined look on her face as she pushed the keys on her smartphone that she had since pulled out from her shirt pocket so fast that her fingers almost seemed to become a blur. “I’ll tell you when I find anything for him.  There’s a few others that’ll be much easier to track down, although whether they’ll be willing to talk, I can’t say without more information.”

“We’ll figure something out.”  Makoto promised before the beginnings of a plan began to take shape as she looked towards a thoughtful Haru.  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking Haru?”

“That maybe I might be able to arrange a sit down with another company head?  Maybe.  It’d take a little time, but there were rumors that my father had thought about opening up business relations with Mitsuru Kirijo once, but nothing ever came of it at the time.  I think she refused him outright now that I think about it.”  Haru mused as she tried to recall the incident in question.  “She might be incredibly young for such a huge responsibility as to control such a huge corporation as hers, but so am I, and I’ve grown a great deal since my father’s passing two years ago.  I might be able to gently pry for information from her if she agrees to a meeting.”

“It’d give us a way in if nothing else.”  Makoto agreed as she glanced towards Futaba.  “Would it help if you had direct access to their computer network?”

“Oh yeah!  I can easily whip up another ‘app’ to download onto their network, just like I did to Akechi’s phone!”

“Then it’s settled.  Haru, you’ll have to distract Mitsuru while Futaba finds a way to bypass their security.  The rest of us will keep our eyes and ears open for anything amiss while making sure we have a way out.”  Makoto stated, and it was soon agreed upon by the rest of the group.

Sojiro, having been unusually quiet, could only shake his head in open amazement at what he’d just seen transpire.  “And now I understand how you guys were able to take down every opponent you came up against.  Once you make up your mind, you put everything you have into it, don’t you?  Yeesh.”

“I believe that is correct.” Haru agreed with a nod. “Once we’ve decided on something, there’s no stopping us.”

“Indeed.  We would not be who we are if we didn’t put our hearts and souls into the task laid before us.  And as I’ve discovered since joining the Phantom Thieves, there’s a certain thrill in planning and executing our grand heists that one can’t find anywhere else.”  Intoned Yusuke as he folded his hands over themselves just beneath his chin.  “If it would help your cause Haru, it might be prudent if you were to have me as part of this meeting.  I am after all a well known contributor to not only the art world, but also to a charitable organization I’ve become a part of in order to truly assist those children Madarame failed in so many ways, myself included.  If this Mitsuru Kirijo is smart enough to refuse an alliance with your father, perhaps there’s more beneath her public facade than meets the eye.”

“You sure you’re tryin’ to help Haru and not yourself there Yusuke?”  Ryuji asked but held up a hand to stop any protests before they could begin.  “Hey, I ain’t poking fun at you dude, if anything I hope it works out and this Kirijo chick helps out your orphanage you got going in Madarame’s little shack.  Just don’t be too surprised if she turns out to be another rotten adult is all I was gonna say.”

“Ah, you have a point.”  Yusuke reluctantly admitted.  “However, not everyone is as selfish as the people we’ve targeted.  I hope that this Mitsuru Kirijo is willing to hear me out.”

“We have our assignments, let’s see them through.”  Having decided on a course of action, the group dispersed to get a good night’s sleep since tomorrow looked to be a very busy day.  Bidding Sojiro and Futaba a good night, Akira and Morgana made their way upstairs, full of good food and feeling strangely, pleasantly warm from having gotten back into the swing of things once more despite the fact they were heading into a very vast unknown.

“Hey Akira?”  Morgana asked as he got settled on his back on his bed, his hands folded beneath his head.  Once Morgana was on his chest, Akira only nodded for the cat to continue.  “Do you really think we won’t be able to come back if we leave?”  The worried note in Morgana’s normally haughty voice was hard to ignore.

So much so that Akira knew better than to simply say the first thing that came to mind.  “I honestly don’t know Morgana, but Makoto was right to bring it up.” Akira said with a tired sigh. “I know that Igor told us we could come back once we had accomplished our goal, but without knowing what kind of ruin awaits us… could be just we’d have already lost without being aware, provided we don't get killed otherwise.”

“At least you’re honest about it.” The cat murmured dejectedly.

“I don't think lying is gonna help here. Besides why’re you acting like we’re stuck already? Didn't you say that we’re the Phantom Thieves? That we would take the world by storm?” Akira challenged his friend and nudged the cat softly. “I’ll be counting on you, so do what you do best and help us save the world one more time.”

“You really are incredible, Joker.” Morgana marveled with wide eyes. “You just take it all in stride and continue on.”

“Honestly, I  _ am  _ worried, this whole thing’s got me rattled, but you guys have my back. I could ask for nothing more, or better, than that.”

“Thanks Joker.  And we are pretty awesome, hehe.”  Morgana agreed as he curled up on Akira’s chest before laying his head on his paws.  Akira was happy to see he was much more relaxed now, which in turn helped him to momentarily forget the looming disaster as he soon drifted off in turn.

* * *

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan: Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc Cafe**

**Date:  April 6th, 2018, Early Morning**

Slowly opening his eyes, Akira couldn’t help but feel like something was different about the attic.  The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end as he slowly sat up, one hand gently falling over Morgana’s mouth to silence him just as he began to yelp at the sudden movement.  When he woke fully, and he realized that Akira was moving as quietly as he could, Morgana nodded his head in understanding.  “Wait a sec….I think there’s something here.”  Morgana said after he had closed his eyes for a moment and stretched forth his unnaturally sharp senses in every direction.  “It….it feels weird though.”

“That ain’t a nice way to talk ‘bout me, ya know.”  Both of them jerked their heads towards the ceiling, where a long, silver haired young woman sat among the rafters not unlike Morgana sometimes did, one long armored leg hanging down below her.

“Well, to be fair, I don't know you, and yet you sit in the rafters of my room.  That isn’t nice either.” Akira couldn’t help but point wth a shake of his head. “If you needed to talk to me, why not wait downstairs?  Also…” With that he focused his gaze on the girl and activated his third eye, a gift from the time Yaldabaoth had pretended to be Igor.  It was the only power that worked outside of Mementos, but it was enough to reveal that the ‘girl’ was no girl as she began to glow brightly, as if he were staring into the center of the sun.  She was powerful, real powerful, and there was something else that told him she was no ordinary girl.  “You’re not all you appear to be.”

“Nope, but I’m glad ta see the rumors ‘bout yous are true, eh Joker?”  She chose that moment to gracefully swing down from the rafters before landing lightly on her feet just in front of the pair.  Now that they had a better look at her, Akira could see through the illusion she had cast around herself to the metallic chassis beneath her otherwise human like visage.  “See somethin’ ya like kid?”

“You’re a machine.” Akira noted and cocked his head to the side. “Interesting.” His eyes found hers and held her gaze. “I’m more interested in something else though. Where did you learn that name?”

“It’s a long story, but a friend o’ mine knows a lot about you folks.  You should really get yourself a better hacker by the way.”

“Ah, so that’s how you found us.” He noted calmly and nodded even though internally he made a note to scold Futaba later, or if it turned out she did all she could, apologize to her.

“Yep.  Gotta say though, your friend got much further than our techs thought she would.”  The ‘girl’ replied as she tapped at the bottom of her chin, one arm cradled by the elbow as she paced the length of the room, her red eyes sweeping over everything.

“I see, and you are here why?” Akira asked her stoically, his eyes never leaving hers. “As I see it you could have just called, unless this is a kidnapping or a forced home invasion.  I’m familiar with those, not really a fan to be honest.”

“Me neither, so don’t worry yourself Joker, I ain’t here to hurt no one.  I’m just here as a messenger.  Mitsuru Kirijo wants to talk to yous and your friends, that’s all.  She’d also like me to ask yous not to hack into her company’s network again, but I got a feelin’ that she’ll be disappointed in that regard.”

“That depends on the outcome of our meeting.” Akira told her unapologetically. “So, when would she like to meet and where?  Or do we have a choice in the matter, something neutral I figure.”

“Woah, you really are a bit paranoid, aren’tcha ya?”  The ‘girl’ replied, genuinely surprised as she held up her hands and took a step back.

“I wonder why.” Akira deadpanned and narrowed his eyes. “So? You haven't answered my question.”

“She’s downstairs right now, havin’ herself a cup of joe from your friend.  Nice guy, nice place he’s got here.  A bit outta the way for my likin’, but on the other hand, I don’t have a stomach so I wouldn’t have a reason to stop by on a normal day.”

“Uh….right.”  Morgana muttered before shrugging his shoulders and jumping onto Akira’s back.  “Wait, you can understand me?!”

“I was wonderin’ when you’d notice.”  The ‘girl’ replied with a light, beaming smile before pale silver light began to coalesce and take form above and behind her.  A beautifully armored maiden appeared behind the silver haired girl, carrying what appeared to be a string or perhaps a wire in the form of a labyrinth.  Long, wind blown locks of pale blue hair danced and waved behind her head on unseen winds, and the maiden’s red eyes, despite her face being more machine like than the girl herself, was soft if determined in its visage as she stared down upon them.

In response to the sudden appearance of the persona, Akira could feel a stirring feeling deep within himself.  It was as if Arsene had noticed what was happening and was trying to claw its way out. He had wondered if it was possible to manifest a Persona outside the Metaverse, but considering that he had never needed their help in the real world, before he hadn’t pursued that thought too much. Something he was actually regretting at the moment as the mysterious girl dismissed her Persona just as easily as it had appeared.  “Whoa….what are you?!”  Morgana gaped, unable to think of anything else to say after the girl’s impressive display.

“ _ That _ is another long story, but talk ta Mitsuru, she’ll answer as many of yous questions as she can without delving too deep into things she’s got no right ta talk about without talkin’ to the others of our group first.”  Despite the smile that still lingered on her face, Akira could see that this particular subject was a sensitive one for this strange girl as she started for the stairs.  “And ya might want to put somethin’ else on, although boxers and a white shirt don’t look too bad on you Joker.”

“Thanks.”  He muttered and went to change, his mind already racing furiously.  He wasn’t stupid, why send her follower up here, her highly dangerous follower at that?  The answer was obvious, Mitsuru had tried to intimidate him, either because she wanted him to meekly comply, or to play it safe.  He couldn't say just yet.

He would need to meet with the woman to ascertain her intentions. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry, and so he sent the others a brief message telling them that he was about to talk with Mitsuru. Afterwards, he put on his glasses and pushed them up his nose.  He just hoped that Sojiro was okay because if anything had happened to him… they’d see that he was willing to perform all sacrilegious acts in pursuit of his own justice, just as he had once sworn to both Arsene and himself.

But he needn’t have worried as he found Sojiro having a pleasant conversation with Mitsuru, although the subtle glance he threw towards Akira told him that they’d be talking about his idea of caution once Mitsuru had left since they both knew it was their own fault that they had company.  “You don’t need to exchange covert glances between yourselves, Mr. Kurusu.”  Stated a very well dressed, red haired young woman as she set her cup of steaming coffee down on a porcelain saucer.  “I’m not here to cause you trouble, but since your hacker, Futaba Sakura, formerly known as the elite hacktivist, Medjed, tried to break into my company’s network, I thought it prudent to come down here personally.  I trust Labrys was polite?”

“She was.”  Akira replied with a small grin. “Mostly, aside from breaking into my room, that is.”  Sitting down so that there was a single barstool between them, Akira once more opened his third eye, and wasn’t all that surprised when he sensed another powerful Persona behind the woman’s almost perfectly sculpted face which broke into a soft, if brief, smile.

“I do apologize for that, but I did tell her to make sure you didn’t try to slip away before we had a chance to discuss what happens now.  I’m not looking to press charges, or to even detain you in any fashion.  If anything, I’ve been meaning to talk to you and your friends ever since the events that transpired two years ago.”  That got their attention as Sojiro, Akira, and Morgana jerked slightly from their respective spots around the cafe.  “Yes, I’m well aware of Yaldabaoth’s manifestation in the center of town.  I’m also well aware that a group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Heart were responsible for sending him back from whence he came, and that the change of hearts that preceded his appearance were also your doing.”

“Who are you?  Who are you really?”

It was Mitsuru’s turn to look towards Labrys as the machine girl sat beside her friend.  With a nod, Mitsuru took some silent measure of strength from her companion before turning her attention towards Akira and Morgana once more.  “I’m a Persona User, of the Empress Arcana, Trickster.  But more importantly, I’m a member of a group that has dedicated themselves to eliminating and investigating Shadows and the entities they serve.  We call ourselves Shadow Operatives, but we once went by another name.”

“S.E.E.S.”  Turning to the door, they saw Futaba and the rest of the gang had arrived.  Arms laden down by the laptop she held open for them to see, she was smirking widely as she showed Mitsuru that she had hacked into her firewall at last.  “Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, and I think you have a lot more explaining to do Ms. Kirijo, starting with the students that went missing.”

“I’ll tell you everything, but understand one thing now.”  Mitsuru said as she slowly stood to her feet, the long white fur coat she was wearing falling halfway down her long, slender arms, where they saw the hilt of a slender, razor sharp fencing blade tucked against her right hip.  The black bodysuit beneath her coat was unmistakably armored, making her almost as dangerous as her robotic companion.  “You can’t threaten or intimidate me.  I’ve stared down Death itself and I’m still here.  Anything you were once able to do wouldn’t frighten me compared to that which I’ve already faced.”

“You didn't come all this way if you thought we were a danger to you or whoever works under you.” Akira noted cooly as he eyed her carefully. “So let's just stop with the pretense and get to the point. You aren't here just because of Futaba, you want something from us. Am I wrong?”

Pulling her coat back up so that it covered her shoulders, Mitsuru sighed but nodded her head in agreement.  “You’re perceptive, Mr. Kurusu, holder of the Wild Card, but that’s to be expected from another Fool.  Yes, I need your help.”

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**_Nomad-117:_ ** _ Huh, well never underestimate the power of playing games like a madman, you apparently get lots of ideas. Or at least I do, which probably means that I am somewhat crazy. Meh, good enough I guess. _

**_Vergil1989_ ** _ :  Lol well, if you are insane, then I’m right there with you Nomad.  Still, I hope you guys and gals have enjoyed the show thus far.  Expect things to begin coming together in due course, promise. _


	3. Butterfly Effect

**Author Notes:** **_Vergil1989:_ ** _  As a quick forewarning, we’ve not completed Persona 3 FES the Journey or the Answer as of this writing.  Everything we know past where we’re watching on Youtube comes from the wikipedia, so I apologize in advance if we get anything wrong as we piece together what we don’t know already. _

_ As a quick side note, you could almost say that this first story is the ‘prologue’ for a much bigger tale as we attempt to build a kind of fused world between the Persona universe and Mass Effect’s tale.  It won’t be a complete retelling, but it won’t be word for word either.  Some things will likely change as this tale progresses, but we hope you enjoy what unfolds.  And before I forget, I actually dropped a rather less than subtle hint on an NCIS/ME crossover story called  _ **_Alliance Criminal Investigative Service_ ** _ that this tale was in the works.  If you find it, feel free to point it out lol.  See ya and here’s hoping we get as far as we plan to. _

**Chapter 3**

**Butterfly Effect**

 

_ Small causes can have larger effects _

_ Albert Vigoleis Thelen _

 

_ “A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian jungle, and subsequently a storm ravages half of Europe.” _

_ Neil Gaiman _

* * *

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan: Yongen-Jaya, Leblanc Cafe**

**Date:  April 6th, 2018, Early Afternoon**

“And how do you know all that?  Last I checked this kind of information wasn't in the yellow pages.”  Akira asked and cocked his head to the side, noting that Futaba had already began to set up her laptop in his periphery.

Mitsuru regarded him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly when he pulled out his smartphone and showed her that he had set it to speaker to allow his friends to listen in on every word.  Obviously, she had underestimated his cleverness, but that didn’t change why she had come.  If anything, it made her decision easier as she began to contemplate what to tell them.

Akira, after exchanging glances with the rest of his friends, figured that whatever it was, it most likely wouldn't be the truth, or at least, not the whole truth.  On the other hand, if her story was anything remotely similar to theirs, chances were good it’d be a long, complicated tale.  Not that he was one to talk, his own story was a rather lengthy one after all, yet despite the wariness he felt towards Mitsuru and her robotic companion, he couldn't deny that he was curious just what brought the two of them here.  That and while it’d been hinted at before now, it was oddly reassuring to know they weren’t the only ones out there that had this power.

“First, before I get into why I need your assistance, let me start by expounding upon what you’ve already begun to discover for yourselves.”  Mitsuru began as she took a sip of her coffee once more before pulling out what at first glance, looked like a real gun, but when she merely set it down on the counter in front of her and idly pulled the trigger, all of them immediately relaxed when nothing happened.  “It’s called an Evoker.  Your way is not the only way a Persona can be called forth.  Keep that in mind as we proceed further.”

“Alright, you have our undivided attention.”  Stated a thoughtful Yusuke as he sat down at the counter with Makoto and Ann falling in beside him.  Akira soon found himself surrounded by Futaba, Ryuji, and Haru on Mitsuru and Labrys’s other side.

If Mitsuru seemed bothered with being surrounded, she didn’t show it as she nodded towards Labrys, who in turn looked towards Futaba’s laptop.  Their tech expert immediately jumped when her computer began acting on its own as images and various files began to fill the screen.  “Wireless access, shoulda figured you’d be capable of that.”

“It’s not somethi’ I have a reason to use often.”  Labrys replied as the data transfer completed itself moments later.  Blinking her red eyes rapidly, she shook her head as if to clear it and shrugged as if it weren’t a big deal.

“How  _ do _ you use it? Is it something like opening an interface? Or perhaps you just think really hard?  Or do you have to play some sort of minigame to connect with something?” Futaba asked eagerly, apparently willing to forgive Labrys for connecting with her ‘baby’ without asking her first, at least for the moment.

Labrys laughed merrily at that as she smiled brightly.  “Nah, just an interface.  You’re a gamer then I take it?”

“Duh.”  Futaba countered before wilting under Sojiro’s slight reprimanding glare.  “I uh...mean yeah, I am the reason these guys even have half a clue most days.”

“If we could get back to the topic at hand?”  While Mitsuru made it sound like a question, it was unmistakable that her patience was beginning to wear thin.  Futaba glared at her for the interruption, but actually fell silent, for the time being, eyes focused on her screen as she checked everything that Labrys had just sent her.  Once she was sure she had the floor, Mitsuru continued.  “Almost twenty years ago now, my grandfather, Kouetsu Kirijo, gathered together a group of brilliant scientists and started a grand undertaking.  The Kirijo Group, which I’ve controlled for a few years now, was already a powerful entity among the business and social elite, but it wasn’t enough for him.  While I don’t know the exact details even now, despite having delved deep into my company’s history, we do know that he wanted to make a time manipulation device.”

“For real?!  Why?!”  Ryuji stammered out as he sat upright in his seat at the bar.

“Why do you think?”  Makoto countered as she looked towards Mitsuru.  “He wanted to control history, and by doing so, he’d be next to unstoppable.”

“Precisely.”  Mitsuru replied, her head falling ever so slightly as she closed her eyes.  This wasn’t an easy thing for her to talk about, that much was clear.

_ I wish I could say that I’m surprised. _ Akira thought dejectedly, and clenched his hands under the table. Far too many people were willing to cause all kinds of horrible suffering as long as they profited from it.  Still, to hear that even one who already was so very influential decided to desire ever more power was particularly disappointing.

“It was originally believed by myself and those that had been investigating at the time that my grandfather was nihilistic, and that he actually wanted to escape this mentality by achieving his goal, but whatever the case might have been, most of the blame can be laid at his feet for what transpired later.  How he came to learn about Shadows no one truly knows anymore, only that he soon realized that if he were properly able to harness their powers, his dream for mastering time itself would be realized.  But something happened during the final stages of the experiment, and there was a large, devastating explosion.”

“That lines up with what your friend sent me and with what I’ve been able to uncover.”  Futaba confirmed as she rapidly compared the various articles she’d been able to dig up before nodding her head towards Akira.  “So what about the missing students?”

“Just as my grandfather wanted to understand and control Shadows for their power, it didn’t take him or his team long to realize that Shadows could become Personas.”  Futaba’s soft gasp as she tensed got Mitsuru’s attention as her gaze fell on the small, amber haired girl just a short distance away from her.  “I take it you know of this method of attaining one’s Persona.”

“Y-yeah, I do.”  Out of all of them, Futaba had been the only one to have faced her Shadow inside her own Palace no less.  But unlike all of the other Shadows they’d gone up against, hers hadn’t been out to kill her.  If anything, it had done everything it could to make her face the truth she had hidden deep inside herself, revealing to them all that her mother hadn’t committed suicide or left a scathing note regarding Futaba and how hard it’d been to raise her alone.  The truth was that the suicide note, and her mother’s supposed suicide, had both been faked by the people responsible for her mother’s death, and her Shadow had made sure Futaba understood that before awakening as her Persona.  “My Shadow turned into my Persona, after making me face a pretty uncomfortable truth.”

“Wakaba Isshiki’s murder.”  Mitsuru stated flatly, earning another little nod from Futaba while the rest of her companions simply glared at her for how easily she said that.  Sojiro too wasn’t too happy with how this stranger spoke of matters she had no right to talk about, but Mitsuru ignored their collective looks with a wave of her hand through her long red locks.  “Masayoshi Shido’s crimes were extensive, and I saw his confession the day he would have otherwise become Prime Minister.  Some investigation of my own revealed the truth of his claims before the report was interrupted by his remaining followers.”

“What do you know of them?  You’re obviously used to dealing with Shadows and Personas, you must have looked into the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns.  Just how much do you really know?” Akira asked her calmly never once breaking eye contact.

“More than I’d like.  Unfortunately, the Kirijo Group has a very dark and sordid past with Shadows and the power they can bestow upon mankind, as well as the ruin they leave behind in their wake.  My father….my father and I have done everything we can to correct what my grandfather started.  The psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns aren’t the first time strange mental illnesses have occurred within the population.  Have you ever heard of Apathy Syndrome?”  When everyone could only shake their heads, Mitsuru didn’t seem surprised.  “Despite how prevalent it became around Tatsumi Port Island, we took what steps we could to keep the true cause of Apathy Syndrome from appearing in the media.  When the explosion happened, the nature of the world changed because of the incredibly large mass of Shadows my grandfather had accumulated.  They escaped, and what we call the Dark Hour began.”

“The Dark Hour?”  Haru asked next.

“Yes.  It was a hidden hour, one that only occurred at midnight, like clockwork every night since its creation.  Shadows would be able to run rampant, but normal people were safe because they’d transmogrify into coffins, protecting them from the Shadows’ influence.  But not everyone was safe, those that were caught outside of their coffins were fed upon by Shadows, and they’d exit the Dark Hour as if they’d been mentally erased.  They were harmless by themselves, but the Lost, those that had been attacked by these Shadows, soon began to pile up in hospitals and mental wards, which in turn raised the public’s awareness that something was wrong.”

“Yet no one ever realized that Shadows were responsible.”  Stated an impressed Makoto.  “On the other hand, I’d have never believed any of this until I saw it all for myself.”

“Well that and remember Christmas?  All the people didn't realize that something was wrong until we started to battle Yaldabaoth’s guardians.” Morgana reminded them and jumped onto the table. “Even then it wasn’t all of them, at least not till we actually faced him.”

“That’s not surprisin’.”  Labrys chimed in, having since put her illusion back over herself so that she appeared as a normal, silver haired girl in a Shujin Academy uniform, complete with a black blazer not unlike Akira’s own.  “Most people will only see what they wanna see.  I fell to that trick my’self for a bit, but I was soon forced to realize somethin’ rather similar to Futaba.”

“No offense Labby,” Ryuji began, and ignored the slight twitch of Labrys’s eye as he waved a hand in front of his face, “but what could a bucket of nuts and bolts ever have to bury their head in the sand from?”

“Ugh, vulgar as ever.”  Morgana groaned and slapped a paw over his face in exasperated disbelief. He was not the only one as Akira could only shake his head, while Makoto and Haru merely sighed in exasperation and Yusuke made a disapproving noise. Ann for her part was apparently trying to set their friend ablaze through sheer willpower alone, but considering that fire was her element, Akira figured her chances were actually rather high in comparison to others.

Despite having been insulted by Ryuji’s blatant lack of tact, Labrys didn’t seem visibly upset as she calmly stated, “Well for one, I have a heart that allows me to feel the same things you folks do.  It might not be made of flesh and blood like yours, but it works in a similar fashion.  And two, what Mitsuru-senpai hasn’t said yet is that it was originally believed that the only way to manifest a Persona was to induce extreme mental stress upon a person.  For a machine just tryin’ to figure out how to feel, let alone what it meant to be alive, it was pretty rough.  The people that made me….they forced me and my sisters to fight and destroy each other until one of us grew to a sufficient enough level to manifest a Persona.”

“And those that created you?  Did they fight?” Akira asked though his tone made it clear that he already knew the answer.  He didn’t wait for Labrys to reply in any event as he saw her hands clench up into fists on the countertop.  “Let me guess, more of your grandfather’s handiwork.”  This he directed towards Mitsuru without ever letting his gaze wander from Labrys’s rigid form.

“Unfortunately yes…”  Mitsuru sadly admitted as she sighed before putting a hand on Labrys’s shoulder.  “When I found out what had happened, I was utterly disgusted and mortified, but the people responsible had long since been fired by my father and Labrys, the only 5th Generation Anti Shadow Suppression Weapon to survive their experiments, had been sealed away.  I only found her because someone hijacked the plane she’d been on as she was transferred to another facility, where I had hoped to uncover more of my grandfather’s misdeeds.  Someone else beat me to her though, and let her loose after altering her memory so that she didn’t know she was a machine.  But she was released in a world not so dissimilar to your Mementos or the Dark Hour, where her Shadow was able to manifest itself and cause all kinds of chaos for myself and the Shadow Operatives, but also another group of Persona Users that were living in a small town called Inaba.”

“And to answer yous question, no, the people that made me were brilliant but utterly devoid of humanity.”  Labrys said as she let her head droop further.  “They also weren’t exactly able to fight worth a damn, but they had made sure their creations weren’t able ta show aggressive action towards ‘em, so even if I had wanted to before I awoke to a partial Persona, I couldn’t have harmed a hair on their heads, not that I had wanted to before since I didn’t understand anything outside of my orders for the first few weeks of my life.”

“What are their names?” Akira asked, already considering just how much said scientists would deserve a change of heart when he stopped.  But the Metaverse was inaccessible, no matter how much he wished that wasn't the case in that exact moment.  “Nevermind… wouldn't do any good.”

“There are other ways to make someone sorry they were ever born than to force them to confess their crimes with their own mouths.”  Mitsuru replied as she met Akira’s gaze, having figured out his intent with only his seemingly idle question.  “Take my word for it, they were dealt with.”

“That’s good I guess, but geeze, your old friends were sick bastards.”  Ryuji muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest before he sighed and reluctantly looked towards Labrys.  “And I’m sorry….for opening my damned mouth.”  Labrys didn’t reply but a flicker of a smile appeared on her face before she went back to staring at the countertop, her pale skinned fingers listlessly dancing across its surface.

“That said, I must say I am curious, we didn't get too much information on the Metaverse before its collapse.  How were you able to change your targets’ hearts?”  Asked an intrigued Mitsuru as she turned to Morgana when the cat sat on his haunches on the bar’s top.

“Those that had been distorted by their own twisted desires developed a Palace within the Metaverse.  Once we found a way inside, we secured an infiltration route, and stole the Treasure, often while fighting their Shadow.”  Morgana summarized in his usual conceited tone. “Thus, by stealing their distorted desires, they were forced to feel regret for the atrocities they’d committed.”

“Unfortunately we weren’t the only ones able to enter the Metaverse.”  Haru began as she folded her hands on top of each other on the bartop.  “Goro Akechi, the ‘Detective Prince’, was also able to enter Palaces and Mementos anytime he wanted.  He worked with Shido in creating the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, removing anyone that got in their way while opening up positions of power for Shido’s followers.  One such obstacle was...my father, who they had deemed to be a loose end.”

“Thus he was eliminated.  I’m...sorry for your loss Ms. Okumura.”  Mitsuru softly replied, but she was slightly surprised when Haru offered her a watery smile before she shook her head adamantly.

“While I appreciate your sympathy, you don’t need to apologize.  My father made his own bed when he allied himself with Shido.  And….despite my naivety when I first began my career as a Phantom Thief, it didn’t take me long to realize the fact my father had fallen much further than I could have imagined.  Investigating his Palace revealed his ruthless business tactics against his competitors, and his merciless practices against his own workers.”  Memories of the space station they’d wandered through, which had been manned by an army of subservient and hopelessly brainwashed robots, returned to them in a flash.  Haru’s hands clenched up in her lap, her eyes downcast, but she pressed on all the same.  “I loved my father, but seeing him for what he’d become, and the fact he saw even his own daughter as nothing more than a pawn in his game to be discarded at a whim....  Add on top of this that I was trapped in an arranged marriage to a young man that simply wanted a mistress rather than a loving wife, led me to betray my father and my fancie both, which allowed me to awaken to my Persona.”

“I see….you threw off your chains of subservience when you were faced with such a terrible fate, where you would have been forever shackled to those around you.”  Mitsuru quietly whispered, more than a little impressed with the strength of will the young woman hid behind her otherwise soft, angelic face.  “It’s no wonder then that you’re all come as far as you have if you’re any indication.”

“Impressing the head of the Kirijo Group, heh, never would have thought I’d see the day.”

“You didn’t even know who the Kirijo Group were before yesterday, Ryuji.”  Morgana retorted with a roll of his big blue eyes.

“Of course I did you stupid cat… or at least I’ve heard of them.” Ryuji amended slightly while glaring at Morgana. “And why do you have to keep singling me out?”

“Because you make it so easy.”

“Would you two give it a rest?!”  Ann growled at them both before her visage softened, her eyes soon finding Mitsuru’s face despite the distance between them.  “So what happened with this Dark Hour thing?”

“We ended it, but it took many years and many sacrifices, both small….and enormous.”  Mitsuru looked towards the Evoker she had left on the countertop, her eyes growing distant and wistful as she dredged up uncomfortable memories of her own.  “For the longest time, we didn’t have enough Persona Users to combat the Shadows, or to explore their nest which rose out of the ground at the start of every Dark Hour, where Gekkoukan High was built.  We originally called it Tartarus, but it went by another name.  The Tower of Demise.”

“That doesn’t sound ominous at all.”  Yusuke muttered as his right hand fell on his upper left arm, his fingers lightly clutching into the limb as a chill shot down his spine.

“It should, because what my grandfather started with the inadvertent creation of the Dark Hour triggered what we later learned was a cataclysmic event simply called The Fall.  Essentially, my grandfather is the reason the world would have ended if not for what we later accomplished.”  Everyone could only stare, dumbfounded and horrified by this latest revelation, their breathing momentarily forgotten as they tried to process what Mitsuru had just dropped on their laps.

Akira was the first to recover some measure of his composure.  “How did you stop it?”

Mitsuru sighed and looked down again even as she grabbed hold of the Evoker’s grip.  The familiar weight seemed a strange comfort to her as she gained some measure of strength from its weight in her hand.  “The mass of Shadows that escaped were in fact twelve guardians that were acting as barriers against the Fall from happening.  We didn’t know this when we started to hunt them down, having been falsely told by a man named Shuji Ikutsuki, who was acting as the Chairman for our original group, S.E.E.S., that by destroying these twelve Shadows, we’d end the Dark Hour.  In a way he wasn’t wrong, except he failed to mention the fact that by destroying these entities who would have otherwise continued to feed upon those not protected in their coffins, that we’d summon Nyx, the manifestation of Death itself, who would join with Erebus, the manifestation of mankind’s negative and dark emotions.  Together they would usher in The Fall, the end of everything.”

“And yet we’re here.” Yusuke noted and nodded slowly to himself.  “I take it you did something similiar to us?”

“Our original Fool….Minato….he sacrificed his own life to create an unbreakable barrier, sealing Nyx behind it while keeping Erebus from reaching her on this side.  Such is the measures required when dealing with such powerful entities as these.  Be glad that yours did not require one of you to make such a drastic decision.”

“If it helps, we were erased from the people’s cognition for a brief amount of time.”  Haru said as she shivered visibly.  That was one experience they’d not have wished upon even their worst enemy, but she was quick to add, “but I am sorry you lost such a clearly treasured friend, Mitsuru-senpai.”

“It was his decision, and the fact is his parents died around the same time the accident happened, which forever altered his own fate.  He knew what he was doing, but he still chose to save us despite having little reason to care about the world that had taken so much from him.”  Despite her dismissal of Haru’s condolences, Mitsuru offered the young woman a grateful nod before she reached down to grab her cup of coffee.  Finishing the contents of the glass, she gently set it down before putting her Evoker back into her belt.  “Erebus is still out there, and he tried to take control of the second Fool we had in S.E.E.S in order to break the barrier Minato created, but once we defeated him, he’s not tried again despite the fact we now know for certain he can’t be banished forever.  Too many people desire to see this world end so that their own suffering no longer continues.”

“That sounds familiar.”  Muttered a visibly uncomfortable Makoto.

“Not that surprising if you think about it.” Akira noted quietly and frowned deeply in thought. “Even Shadows and Personas take on the form of mythological figures because they are created by the human mind and soul.  Every time we fight against them or another one of these so called ‘gods’, we fight against a doom of our own making.”

“But every time one of these threats appear, an equally strong counterbalance manifests itself in the form of Persona Users like yourselves.”  Mitsuru replied, reminding them that, while this might have happened before, the world was still there as they remembered it.  “And while just because you have the power doesn’t automatically mean you’ll use it for good, most times people like us do all that we can once we discover the truth, to stand against whatever would be god would dare try to take everything from us.”

“Which leads me to ask the question we all desire an answer to.”  Akira began as he pushed away from the counter so he could stand just behind Mitsuru’s stool, his hands in the pockets of his black jacket.  “Why do you need our help?”

Mitsuru turned around on the stool and stood to her full, rather impressive height as she stared intently in Akira’s eyes.  “You’ve already given it.”

“Hmm?”  Ryuji stammered, almost as confused as the rest of them.  “What d’ya mean?”

“She means that you’ve given us the info we needed to reach a decision.”  Labrys answered as she too stood and crossed her arms across her stomach, her stance making them wonder if some great weight had left her shoulders.  “Thanks to you folks, I think we found an answer to a question that’d been buggin’ us for a while now.”

“I won’t lie, the Kirijo Group has done a great amount of evil in the brief time they were under my grandfather’s control.  Even after he died, there were still those that would continue his work despite my and my father’s vehement protests.  The missing students, the experiments my grandfather’s team conducted, all of it can never be truly redeemed, no matter how much good we do now, but your appearance and the fact you were able to destroy yet another supernatural threat, a god no less, has proven that the Kirijo Group is still necessary.”

“Redeemed?” Akira questioned and shook his head at that. “What do you see when you look at me?”  Ignoring her confused expression, he went on. “When I first got here, everyone just saw me as a criminal.  They spread rumors, kept a wide berth anytime I walked down the halls, and apparently I had even killed someone.  It doesn't matter how others perceive you, what they think of you, what matters is what you do. Your grandfather did terrible things, there is no denying that, but you’re not him.  So there is no reason for you to atone for something you had no chance of stopping.”

“I know, and it took me a long time to realize that.”  Mitsuru agreed but smiled softly all the same for Akira’s wisdom on the matter.  “But that doesn’t change the fact that without people like us, the world wouldn’t have a chance.  That’s why I’ve come to the decision that so long as mankind desires these entities to arise, there will always be a need for Persona Users to fight them.  I can’t simply allow fate to decide if we’re worthy to keep saving anytime these things rear their ugly heads.  So for your assistance in reaffirming my resolve in laying the foundations for a place for people like us to train in secret for the days to come when fate decides we’re no longer worth the effort, you have my thanks.”

“An insurance policy?”  Makoto asked, her interest immediately piqued as the pieces began to fall into place.  “You want to ensure we continue to have a future, no matter how long into the future this fight continues.”

“Yes.  While I fervently hope for the day people like us are no longer required, that mankind finally realizes the truth that we’ve all discovered, I won’t let the future remain uncertain, not if there’s something I can do now.”

“Well I certainly feel better knowing that someone is on the lookout.” Ann said with a small smile. “I mean it certainly beats suddenly facing a god out of nowhere.”

“Hell yeah, would have been nice having some warning when we went to beat down that stupid grail.”  Grumbled an irritated Ryuji as he crossed his arms over his chest once more.  “But I agree with Joker, you ain’t the reason the world’s gone to shit.  The fact you’re plannin’ this whole thing says a lot about ya Mitsuru.”

“Indeed.  It seems you’re not like the rest of the rotten adults we’re used to dealing with, no offense.”  Yusuke was quick to add as both she and Labrys smiled and waved him off.

“Ah don’t worry about it Inari.”  Labrys stated as her smile turned warm and accepting of those they found themselves surrounded by.  “I’d be distrustful of us too considerin’ everything you’ve been through.”

“Indeed.  Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have a lot of work to do now to set this plan of mine into motion.  And Akira, tell Igor we remember the help he gave Minato, and that he is no longer the only one fighting for the fate of our world.”

“Funnily enough, he was actually the one to suggest looking into you more.” Akira told her with a cocked eyebrow. “You wouldn't know anything about a coming ruin in the future, would you?”

“No, but it seems I was right to come here if there is indeed another disaster on the horizon.  And I shouldn't be surprised that Igor knows.  Whoever that man is, he’s no mere human, that much was made clear when I first met him years ago.”

“It was the nose wasn't it?” Akira remarked dryly and smirked at her.

“That too.” Mitsuru allowed with a small laugh of her own.  “Good luck in your future endeavors, Akira Kurusu.”

“You too, Mitsuru Kirijo.”  With one final nod of their respective heads, Mitsuru walked towards the door of the cafe with Labrys falling in step behind her.

She paused though and looked over her shoulder, waving cheerfully at the group.  “Y’all take care now.  And try not to cause  _ too  _ much trouble.”  She chuckled, smiling as the Phantom Thieves just grinned mischievously in response.

“There’s going to be pandemonium isn’t there?” Makoto asked, resigned once Mitsuru and Labrys had closed the door behind them.

“Oh yeah.” Akira was quick to agree, his eyes lighting up at the mere idea of raising a little hell before they left for their future date with whatever was waiting for them.

“Hell yeah!  Enough of this doom and gloom BS.  But damn….”  Ryuji groaned as the full weight of Mitsuru’s confession hit him like a truck.  “I never woulda thought something like that was going on.”

“She forgot one important detail.”  Futaba said as she turned her laptop so that the others could stare at the screen.  The name Strega, printed on the front of a newspaper, was highlighted by the hacker, along with a picture of a tall, pale skinned blonde haired young man.  Even though the picture was black and white, the malevolent glow in his eyes was still very easy to see.  “Apparently Strega were a group of Artificial Persona Users, and their leader, some creep called Takaya, began a cult to help usher in Nyx when he found out about her.”

“That little aside about Persona Users not always serving the good of mankind makes a lot more sense at least.”  Makoto mused as she stroked the bottom of her chin.

“Looks like they had their own Akechi to worry about.” Ryuji muttered with a dark glare.  “Damn it, why do people even do bullshit like that?!”

“I don’t know.”  Haru said quietly and shook her head. “And I think I don't want to know.”

“No matter their reasons, their actions were truly despicable.” Yusuke commented lowly as he read a few of the crimes that Strega had committed, information that Labrys had shared with them per Mitsuru’s request.  “It seems Mitsuru and her allies discovered that Strega were responsible for a number of unexplained murders and criminal acts before they began their cult to usher in the end of the world.  ‘Revenge Request’ was the name of their mercenary website.”

“Already hacking.”  Futaba declared as she found Strega’s old contact site.  It didn’t take her long to turn pale as a ghost as she read some of the contracts that people had sent to the group.  “Yeesh.  I knew there were some crazies on the net, but this goes well beyond what I’m used to seeing.  Some of these are pretty….explicit.”

“Thankfully they’re gone.”  Makoto said as they got to the end of the list of unfulfilled contracts.  The last one was dated back in 2010, well past the point where Strega had stopped taking contracts.  “It’s safe to assume the Shadow Operatives took care of this Takaya around the same time Nyx would have arrived if these dates are to be believed.”

“To think we got that close to having the world end and no one ever knew…..”  It was a truly chilling thought, to be sure, and Sojiro wasn’t sure if he wanted to ever have this brought up again as he set aside the glass he’d been cleaning for far longer than was necessary.  Realizing he’d been wiping the same glass for the past ten minutes, Sojiro sighed and shook his head, relief flooding his system.  “I will say this much though, despite what I thought about that Mitsuru when she first showed up, I’m actually glad she’s around if she’s truly that determined to make sure we have a chance.”

“Would be a nice change of pace wouldn't it?” Akira asked rhetorically. “People actually wanting to help instead of screwing around with powers beyond their understanding.”

“I know what you mean.” Ryuji was quick to agree. “That Shido bastard really was crazy, using the Metaverse with Akechi like that.”

“Because we were so much better?”  Ann countered as she looked towards her own hand.  “We used our Personas without any real idea of what kind of damage we were capable of if we weren’t careful.  We could have just as easily caused someone to suffer a mental shutdown, or worse.”

“That’s true.” Makoto reluctantly agreed.

“Nonsense!” Morgana denied with a hiss. “I warned you didn't I? Besides, did you really think I’d let you screw up that badly under  _ my _ guidance.”

“N-no.  You’re right Morgana, and I’m sorry for worrying about it now.  It’s just that they dropped a lot on our lap is all.”  Ann replied, no longer looking down in shame as the realization hit that they could have easily turned into the next Goro Akechi, using their powers with reckless abandon to fulfill their own goals.

“Don’t be, it’s important to reflect on one’s actions once in awhile, keeps you from getting conceited… unless you’re Morgana of course.”  Akira told her and sent a teasing smile in Morgana’s direction.  “Seriously though, we shouldn't underestimate how much damage we could be capable of, so it’s better to tread on the cautious side.”  Everyone didn’t need to think about their response as they shouted their agreement.  While he was glad to see that even Mitsuru’s message of doom narrowly avoided hadn’t done anything to dampen their spirits for long, what he had to say next almost froze in his throat.  “But now that we have a better idea of what we’re up against, that this has happened multiple times before, we need to consider what we’re going to do next.”  The few smiles that had begun to return to his friends’ faces faded away in a flash at the reminder they still had an important decision to make.  “Give it some time….and if I hear anything more from Igor, I’ll be sure to let you know immediately.”

While he didn’t want to leave things on such a tension filled low note, Akira knew that they all had had a lot dropped on their laps in a very short amount of time.  Rushing their own monumental decision would be a deadly mistake, and he didn’t want them to have any regrets when the time came for them to leave, provided they still wanted to leave in the first place.  He didn’t give them much of a chance to say anything before Akira left the cafe, needing some air himself after everything they’d learned from Mitsuru.  To his surprise, he saw a surprisingly large, long black limousine at the end of the alleyway where the cafe resided, just past Sojiro’s house.  Seeing Mitsuru and Labrys just reaching the end of the alleyway, Akira ran after them, one last question coming to mind as his eyes fell to where he knew the woman’s Evoker resided.

Making no effort to conceal his approach, Akira slowed to a walk as Mitsuru had just began to open the door to her limo before turning to see who was approaching.  “Ah, Mr. Kurusu, did I leave something behind?”

“Hmm?  No, but I did have one more question before you left.”

“Alright.  What’d you want to know?”

“How do  _ you  _ summon your Persona?”  He had expected a lot of things when he’d asked his question, but what followed when she processed his inquiry was not what he’d imagined.

“Before I show you, I’d ask how you summon yours.  My curiosity is twofold, as you no doubt suspect.”

“Both to satisfy your own curiosity as well as whatever records you’re keeping at your company headquarters.”  Mitsuru nodded her head, making no effort to deny his claims.  Akira was more than willing to share, especially if his admission somehow helped in whatever came next.  “When we first entered the Metaverse, we found ourselves in Kamashido’s Palace, a castle built around the motif of Lust.”

“With the crimes he was a part of involving the volleyball team, that’s not surprising.  Go on.”

“His distorted desires took on the shape of him being a King of the castle, which was the entirety of Shujin Academy.”  Morgana cut in as he hopped onto Akira’s shoulder once more.  “He was physically abusing the male students during practice, while he was sexually harassing the female students.”

“To make it worse, the staff and parents knew about it all and didn’t do anything.  Even when a student tried to commit suicide, nothing changed until we took action.”  Akira continued where Morgana left off before he removed his glasses.  The effect was immediate as his facade shifted with that single, otherwise unimportant act as his eyes hardened and his face took on a much more determined demeanor.  “Our Personas originated as masks that we literally had to pull away from our flesh, a literal casting aside of the ‘masks’ we had crafted to delude ourselves into quiet submission and accepting how the way things were.  But when faced with this revolting realization, we’d had enough of simply abiding by a corrupt system, and we opted to rebel with our every breath from that point forward.  Ripping off our masks hurt a great deal, but the extreme pain, combined with our resolute decision to stand against such oppression, helped to awaken our Personas.”

“Wow.  You literally cast aside your chains.  That certainly explains a lot.”  Said an amazed Labrys from the back seat of the limo as she rolled down the window.

“I can only imagine, but it sounds like quite the ordeal.  Our own method is decidedly darker, but no less symbolic.  ”  Before he could ask what she meant by that, Mitsuru looked up and down the sidewalk to either side, and once she was sure no one was within their vicinity, her hand snapped to the Evoker on her belt, disappearing beneath the confines of her coat.

“Come, Artemisia!”  With that declaration, he knew, somehow he just knew, what she was about to do as her Evoker’s barrel was just as quickly pressed to the side of her head.  When she pulled the trigger this time, her head snapped to the side as if a physical bullet had just passed through her skull, and her dark brown eyes became glassy and unfocused as a thick blue fog began to waft around her feet.  The sound of shattering glass a split second after the ‘bullet’ exited the other side of her head as her Persona took shape behind Mitsuru.

While it was much more faded out due to being summoned in reality, Akira could still see the entity in all of her glory. The persona was clearly female, clad in ornate armor, spikes protruding from the armored plates at her hips and shoulders, a ball mask hiding the upper half of her face while a long, slender sword was visible in its hand.  The regal air about the woman was unmistakable, but beneath her visage Akira could sense Mitsuru’s compassionate, nurturing demeanor flowing from Artemisia herself.  Nodding his head to the pair, Akira watched as the Persona faded from sight, and Mitsuru’s gaze focused once more on his face.  “I understand a great deal more about you now after that display.”

“I’m not surprised.”  Mitsuru replied as she put the Evoker back with the same startling ease she had pulled it out.  “It’s an unfortunate truth that death is a part of all our lives, but we gained the resolve and the strength to face it head on.  An Evoker is shaped like a gun for that reason, because it takes immense strength to put it to your head and pull the trigger, to face death and not balk before its immense power.  The ‘act’ involved further fuels the mental stress and emotional trauma that’s required to summon a Persona in our case, but I no longer need the Evoker to use my power.  I simply keep it as a reminder of how far I’ve come.”

“Death is frightening and so is eternal life.” Akira noted with a slight nod and cocked his head. “If I may ask, how did you reach the point that you no longer needed an Evoker?  I suppose it’s not as easy as facing unfavourable odds.”

“You’re right….but I think you already have the answer to your own question.  You reached a point in your own journey to where you are now that you were resolute in your battle against Yaldabaoth.  You knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what you would do with the rest of your life and that you’d face each day with a clear heart and mind, no matter how hard things got.  The same can be said for myself and all of my friends as well.  We reached similar points where we came to terms with our weaknesses, and made the promise to work past them, no matter what came next, by taking things one day at a time.  Our fear of an uncertain tomorrow would no longer hold sway because we would live at our best everyday.”

Akira could only smile as he put his glasses back on, appearing to be the unassuming, unthreatening young man once more as he nodded his head in utter agreement and acknowledgment of what Mitsuru was saying.  “Carpe diem huh?”

“Precisely.  Good luck Mr. Kurusu.”  Turning her gaze on Morgana one last time, Mitsuru’s smile softened considerably.  “Thank you as well for being the hope of all mankind, Morgana.  I know it couldn’t have been an easy burden to bear, but you’re the real hero in this.”

Morgana’s chest swelled with pride at that and he cast a smug glance in Akira's direction. “About time someone realises the truth.”  Labrys and Mitsuru shared another light round of laughter at that.

“Yes, you are awesome. Best cat ever.” Akira deadpanned and patted his head.  “That said… you may be conceited, and you will probably eat me out of home, but still, thanks Morgana. I told you this before, but I couldn't have done this without you.”

“Aww, thanks. I too think you did adequately.”

Mitsuru chuckled as she slid into the back seat next to Labrys before shutting the door.  Rolling down the window though, she nodded her head to the pair one last time.  “If we never meet again, know that I’ll remember this meeting.  Whether it was fate or mere chance doesn’t matter, only that you’ve given me a great deal in such a short amount of time.  It just proves what a friend of mine said before.  Wisdom can be gained in even the most unlikely of places.”

“Farewell Ms. Kirijo, and you too Labrys, I don’t know when or if we will see each other again, but you just continue working on your end, and we’ll do our part.” Akira assured her with a determined nod.  They watched the limousine go, and while he was still weighed down with the decision they had yet to make, he felt much better for having had this encounter with Mitsuru and Labrys.  Looking towards the early afternoon sun, Akira smiled as he reached up to scratch Morgana between his ears.  “They aren’t the only one that learned something today.”

* * *

 

**End Notes: _Vergil1989:_** _  First off, I’m sorry for the massive info dump regarding most of Persona 3’s complicated story.  And before anyone says anything, yes, I know Aigis played her own important role in the events that unfolded, and yes I’m fully aware more than Mitsuru’s father ended up dying before it was over.  Shinjiro and most if not all of Strega also ended up biting the bullet, as well as Junpei Iori although Chidori’s sacrifice kept him alive.  We had dragged this on long enough though so unfortunately some sacrifices had to be made to keep things moving.  Still, for all that, I’m quite satisfied with how this chapter turned out and I hope you guys agree. _

**_Nomad-117:_ ** _ I am sorry it takes so long for us to get to the Mass Effect stuff, though we both agreed that it would be better not to rush things unnecessarily. That said, if you read through stuff on the wiki to refresh your memory and all that, and you see all those messed up things in short succession… well, let's just say a lot of people in Persona are a tiny bit crazy, and not the good kind. _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  Tohru Adechi from Persona 4, Takaya, Jin, and Chidori, as well as Shuji from Persona 3, and let’s not get into the psychopath that was Goro Akechi from Persona 5.  They’re the big ones, but there’s plenty more crazies along the way that we could easily name if you don’t believe us.  Having said that, only the people from Persona 3 actually WANTED to destroy the world, and that takes a special kind of insanity, one I’d rather not ever try to understand because it’d be too damn scary for the likes of us to try and ever comprehend how screwed someone would have to be to want the world to end.  Adechi might have wanted to make everyone into Shadows, but he didn’t want to actually end the world, and Goro Akechi, for all of his faults, simply wanted to be acknowledged by someone, anyone really even though he chose to go after Shido for that with the full intention of later murdering him.  Lol okay, rant done, I promise.  The next chapter will be coming soon, but we might do another chapter for ACIS first, I’m not sure just yet.  Either way, take care folks, and seize the day.  Seize the day, come what may. _


	4. Truth of the Cards

**Chapter 4**

**Truth of the Cards**

* * *

 

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan:  Yungen-Jaya, Leblanc Cafe**

**Date:  April 13th, 2018.  Early Morning  Rainy**

“I still don’t get why we had to talk to them.” Ryuji muttered and yawned. “I mean why bother?”

“By talking to them and evidently strengthening their resolve we have already changed the future in some manner.”  Morgana explained slowly with a hint of impatience in his voice.  “Thus heightening our own chances of success now that we’re resolved to see this through.”

“Hopefully.”  Akira quietly said as he looked at his phone for the umpteenth time.  Since they had left the cafe a week ago, most of their friends had been unusually quiet.  He understood why they’d been depressed and uneasy, they were preparing to say goodbye to everyone they cared about on the off chance they didn’t make it back, but he had hoped to hear  _ something  _ back by now as he put his smartphone back into his jacket pocket.  It didn’t help his mood was just as down as he looked out the window, where a torrential downpour had started only a few minutes ago and from what he could tell, it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.  It seemed fitting that it’d match the inner turmoil of his heart and soul as he looked towards Sojiro and Futaba, neither of them in a hurry to say anything as the moment drew closer for their planned departure.

“Ugh...this sucks.”  Ryuji grumbled as he closed the distance to the counter and Akira’s side in a few quick steps.  Flopping heavily on the barstool on his right, Ryuji let his arms fall across each other before laying his head down on top.  “I made my peace with what we’re doin’, although it hurt to lie to my mother about where I’m going, but this still sucks.”

Akira opened his mouth to reply but fell silent and closed it again because he didn't know what to say. He knew that any attempt to discourage Ryuji would fail, and a selfish part of him didn't even want to try in the first place, and yet he felt like he should say something, anything.  But for one of the few moments in his life, nothing came.  “I don’t know what to tell you guys,” Sojiro’s voice drew them both from their silent introspection as he set down a fresh cup of coffee in front of them both, “but as much as I don’t like that you’re leaving like this, I know you’re doing this for the right reasons.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier though Boss.”  Ryuji muttered as he ignored the glass that had been put in front of him.  “Sure there’s a pretty good chance we can come back, but this is different than last time.  We were just lying to everyone about what we were up to, but we didn’t  _ go  _ anywhere.  We could just go home after a heist, but now….now we’re leavin’ everything we ever knew behind.”

Akira lowered his head at that, because no matter how much he wanted to deny his friend’s words, he couldn't, and truthfully the fact that he was causing his friends so much distress was the worst thing in all of this.

_ What’s the matter?  Is your spirit so easily broken? _ Arsene’s voice echoed within his mind, the deep voice sounding… disappointed by that.  _ Is your resolve so weak that you would cast the loyalty of your friends aside so easily?  Or are you willing to face the consequences of your actions, to see this through to the bitter end, even if it ends in Hellfire? _

Akira clenched his fists at that and nodded resolutely. “You already know the answer.”

“Uh… dude? I didn't say anything.”  Muttered a confused Ryuji as he glanced up at Akira without lifting his head from his arms.

“I actually wasn't talking to you.”

“... Okay?”  Ryuji replied, more confused than ever as Sojiro and Futaba gave them curious looks.

“Arsene.” Akira summarized quickly and massaged his temples.  Apparently talking to one’s Persona in a public place wasn’t the best idea.

“I still don't get it.” Sojiro remarked and sighed heavily.

“He was talking to the Persona that resides within him.”  Explained a much more patient Morgana.  When it came to Sojiro, he was much more respectable than he was with most people.  “So what did he say Joker?”

“He simply reminded me of what I already knew.”  The fire that slowly returned to his eyes must have been evident to everyone because Ryuji was soon sitting upright while Futaba and Sojiro visibly relaxed.

“Well, whatever he said, it seems to have done some good.”  Sojiro remarked as he sighed and put a sealed envelope on the counter.  He waited for the others to notice before he set aside the cloth and the glass he’d been cleaning.  “I wanted to save this until you knew for sure, but now seems a good as time as any I suppose.  I’m selling Leblanc’s.”

“What?!’  Ryuji about fell off the barstool as he jerked backwards as if the envelope on the table were a snake preparing to strike.

“Whoa wait what?!”  Yelled an equally stunned Morgana as his big blue eyes became pinpricks in his head.

“Whaaaah?!”  Cried a startled Futaba. “But… the curry!”  She pouted and looked down towards her latest bowl of the stuff in question.

“Nice to see you have your priorities in order.” Sojiro grumbled at the orange haired girl. “Now, don't look so down, I can still make you curry at home.”

“Why?”  Akira settled on asking, immediately having a feeling that it was because of their latest adventure.

Sojiro waited a beat as he looked over the rim of his glasses at them all equally.  “Cause I’m coming with you.”

“For real?!?” Ryuji practically shouted at the top of his lungs.

“You think I’d let Futaba just disappear to god knows where without me?”

“When he puts it like that, I feel stupid.” Morgana admitted quietly and scratched himself across one side of his furry face.  “Still, are you sure about this Sojiro?  This will be pretty dangerous after all, though I doubt that Igor and Lavenza would mind.”

“If they do I’ll just force my way through.  You aren’t the only rebels here after all.”  Sojiro chuckled and was soon smiling warmly down at Futaba when she all but vaulted over the bartop to embrace him in a crushing hug.  “Oomph.”  He grunted but chuckled despite the strength behind her hug.  “Go easy on this old man, Futaba.”

“Nope!  Don’t want to!”  Futaba countered, making it abundantly clear she was in no hurry to let go.

“I have to ask, but why would you let your cafe go?”  Akira asked, genuinely curious to hear his reasoning.  He had a feeling he knew at least part of the answer, but he wanted to hear it from Sojiro’s own mouth.

Sojiro sighed heavily as Futaba let him go at last, but she didn’t go far as his arm wrapped lovingly around her shoulders.  It was clear that he’d been thinking about this for some time.  “Because I bought this place in order to keep a low profile after Wakaba’s murder, but also….because I wanted to simply leave my old life behind.  I didn’t want to think about what I’d lost even as I tried to raise Futaba alone, never realizing that she was just as torn up about it all in her own way.  As much as I’ve come to like this little slice of paradise, it’s also my self imposed prison, a means for me to hide from what happened, what I was unable to prevent because I didn’t choose to believe Wakaba’s warnings.  By letting this place go, I can move on, with her, with you, and myself.  That’s my truth.”

Ryuji wasn’t the only one that was astonished by Sojiro’s reasoning, but he was the first that found his voice.  “Damn Boss….I guess we’re not the only ones that’ve come a long way.”

“It's all thanks to you troublemakers.” Sojiro said and blinked rapidly to hide his watery eyes. “Damn, see what you made me do? That's all because of you guys.”

“You’re welcome?” Ryuji asked slowly and looked at Akira for guidance, who gave him a reassuring nod.

“Being grumpy is just his way of showing that he cares, and his default mood, and pretty much his favourite emotion.” Akira added cheekily though Sojiro only shook his head with a roll of his eyes.

“Cheeky brat.” He muttered good naturedly and let out a hoarse laugh. “If I didn't come with you, who’d keep an eye on you and keep you out of trouble?”

“Awww, you really do care.”  Futaba stated as she playfully poked Sorijo’s belly before making her way back around the bar to her seat once more.  Try as she might though, she couldn't keep from sniffling and rubbing at her eyes in an effort to conceal how touched she was by what he was doing.  “I’m not crying, I just...have something in my eyes.”

“It’s okay Futaba-chan.”  Morgana said as he walked over to the girl and sat down in front of her.  “The Boss is the best huh?  That reminds me though, is that what you had Sae-san helping you take care of?”

“It was.”  The sound of the door opening was met with Sae and Makoto walking in about that same moment, a much more relieved smile on both of their faces as they made their way to the bar alongside Ryuji.  Sae took one look at the envelope and nodded her head, understanding following immediately afterwards.  “I see you told them the good news.”

“We have our own news.  Sae’s agreed to come with us.”  Gushed a beaming Makoto as she kept an arm wrapped loosely around her older sister’s waist.

“Hoping to keep us out of trouble as well?” Akira asked idly and raised his eyebrows.

“If I believed it’d do me any good, I know better though.” Sae told him with a straight face.  “This way I can at least be there for Makoto when you inevitably cause a ruckus.  And besides, there will always be a need for defense attorneys and prosecutors, so I’ll have plenty to keep me busy once we get to where we’re going.  But I won’t just sit idly by if I can be of any use to society, or to my sister’s allies.  Besides, I still owe you all for stealing my distorted desires.”

Akira nodded at that.  Everything she’d said made sense after all.  He couldn't help but glance at Ryuji though. “Ryuji… if you want-” He began quietly but his friend merely shook his head.

“Thanks man, but as much as I’d like having her with me… she’s got enough problems already,  I don’t want to cause her even more.” He explained equally quiet and looked down. “So, I’ll just get back as soon as I can… and then… then I’ll tell her the truth.”

“I’m sorry that you have to make such a sacrifice in the first place, but yours isn’t the only one being made.”  Sae intoned gravely even as she put a hand on Ryuji’s shoulder.  “But if this threat is truly as grave as you all believe, then hold onto your resolve to return home with all that you have.”

“I had already planned on it Sae-san.”  Ryuji stated firmly, newfound determination visible in his eyes as he sat up and crossed his arms over his chest.  “Still, thanks for saying as much.  Who would’ve ever thought we’d be on the same side?”

“I wasn't aware that we ever were on different sides.” Akira told her with a shrug. “Sure there were some… disagreements, and you  _ did  _ interrogate me, but we were never enemies, at least I didn’t think so.  I still don’t.”

“Heh, you are as unshakable as ever.” Sae noted with a kind smile. “I can think of no one else that would simply cast all of that aside.”

“You?  You know, since you are helping us now, with something utterly crazy no less.” Akira suggested cheekily a smirk pulling at his lips.

“Considering the enormous gamble you took to make your grand escape right under Shido’s nose, I’d say you trump me in every way.”  Sae countered with a dismissive wave of her hand through her long, grey hair.  “So, when do we depart?”  The sound of all of their phones beeping made Ryuji jolt while Akira simply looked to his phone along with Futaba, Makoto, and Sae herself.

On their respective screens was a simple message.

_ “It is time.  When you are ready, please assemble in the Velvet Room. _

_ Respectively yours, Igor.” _

“Igor?”  Sae asked.

“Long story.”  Makoto replied with a promise to explain once things had settled down.

“Alright, guess we should meet up with everyone.” Akira said resolutely and contacted the absent members of their team, who had already written him about Igor's message.  Going upstairs to collect his duffel bag, he gave Ryuji one last silent nod of thanks for what he was doing before he disappeared into the attic, Morgana as always riding on his shoulder.  Collecting the few things he hadn’t already packed, Akira sighed as he slung the heavy bag onto his back, and stopped at the top of the stairs.  Locking away the attic into his memory as best he could, he looked towards Morgana who remained respectively silent during this pivotal moment.  The cat not only respecting his silent recollection but apparently doing the same as his blue eyes gazed around, trying to memorize everything. “You ready?”

“This may have been a dump, but… it was our dump, I liked it.” Morgana admitted quietly and sighed sadly. “It's not gonna be easy.”

“Probably not, so you in or out?”

The cat’s blue eyes hardened with resolve as they glared at Akira. “As if I’d let you guys go anywhere without me.”  Akira chuckled but smiled warmly, truly glad to have the cat around as they made their way downstairs.  Sojiro, they saw when they reached the first floor, was having his own moment of silence as he bid his cafe one last farewell.  To make it more final, he produced a sign that said ‘Going out of Business’ from beneath the bar.  Running a hand over the piece of cardboard, Sojiro sighed but smiled, at peace despite how difficult this moment likely was for the older man.  Prison that it might have been, the cafe was still his, and they all had a lot of fond memories attached to this place.

“Akira, get the light on your way out would you?  I’ll take care of this.”  Sojiro said at last as he started for the door, his face set in a resolute visage of his own as he began to shut down the various coffeemakers and grinds scattered about the cafe.  “Futaba, get our bags from the house will you?  Mine’s by the front door.”

“Sure thing Sojiro.” Futaba agreed and quietly wandered out of the cafe with one last look at the interior.

It didn't take long for them to put everything in order and cut the power, but when they left the cafe the others were already waiting for them, staring at the building with sad eyes.  Ryuji merely lifted his phone in answer to his questioning glance and Akira replied with a silent nod as he presented Yusuke with the original Sayuri they had stolen from Madarame’s distorted heart.

“It’s probably best if you keep it for now… maybe when we’re… there, you’ll find a fitting place for Sayuri.” Akira told him quietly and gave his shoulder an encouraging squeeze.

“Any place with the family I have now will be good enough, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”  Replied a truly grateful Yusuke as he gingerly wrapped the precious painting within a canvas bag, protecting it from the storm before tucking it beneath his left arm.

Akira nodded in return before turning his gaze towards Haru. “Are you okay?”

“I won't be a liability to you.” The heiress answered determinedly and met his gaze with conviction.

“That wasn't what I asked. I never thought of you as a liability, you know that. So tell me, are you okay?”

“I am worried, there is just so much I don't understand, or that could go wrong… but I can't let that stop me from acting. Otherwise I’d go back to being the person I was before I met you guys.”

“Thank you.” He replied his voice filled with honesty. “That means a lot to me.” Receiving a smile in return he walked up to Ann who stood a bit to the side and stared dejectedly at the darkened windows of Leblanc.

“So this is it, huh?  We’re giving this all we got.” Ann asked him with an empty voice. “No not just us, our friends and family too.”

“This is it.” He agreed, his eyes never leaving hers. “Us, all of us, against the whole world. You up for this?”

“You bet I am.”  She hissed at him, her fiery temper shining through. “I might be scared as hell, but I won't let that stop me from helping you guys.” Realising what she said she let out a hollow laugh. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for… I’m not the only one scared, I shouldn't give you guys anymore grief… tsk and here I thought I was being brave.”

“You are.” Akira assured her and held up his hands when she sent him a critical glance. “And I’m not just saying that to calm you down. You’re scared, but you still want to help, that’s what bravery is about, isnt it? Doing something despite being scared.”

“Yeah.”  Clenching her fists, Ann’s face hardened with determination and newfound resolve.  “We can’t lose now, not after everything we’ve done.  For Shiho...for everyone, we have to succeed for their sake.”

“Then let’s go.  Together.” Akira held out his hand to her, even if it was mostly symbolic at this point.  Ann didn't even hesitate to grab his hand with her own.

Before they knew what was going on, Ryuji had put his hand on top of theirs, with the rest of the team following suit.  Even Sojiro and Sae added their hands into the pile as the weight of their shared intent hit Akira fully.  “Lead on Joker.”  Ryuji said, echoing everyone’s thoughts with that simple statement.

Akira nodded, no words needed as they broke with a cheer that drowned out the rain around them.  Leading the way to where the Velvet Room’s door resided, the earlier dark mood had all but vanished by the time they reached their destination.  Sae and Sojiro, having never seen the phantasmical like door before, were the first to note its strange presence as it floated, unattached to anything around it, yet seeming like it belonged there all the same as Akira pulled out a crystalline key from the confines of his jacket.  “Huh, how come I never noticed this thing before?”  Mused a curious Sojiro.

“Because up until recently, only Joker was able to see it for the longest time.”  Makoto informed them as he unlocked the door and pushed it open for them to begin filing through.  “At least he’s a gentleman.”

“I try.”  Akira chuckled softly in response as the clouds parted right before Makoto reached the passageway.  Pausing for a moment to admire the clear and warm sunlight that broke through the heavy cloud cover, they took in the city that held so many memories for them all.  Like the cafe itself, while they didn’t wish to leave it all behind, they did their best to lock it all into their collective memory so that they would remember what they were fighting for, adding it to the ever growing pile until Akira said, “It’s time.”

Without further delay, one after another of his friends disappeared into the depths of the passageway.  Ann was waiting for him just inside the doorway, and only turned around once he made his way through the door himself.  The moment he stepped through his clothes transformed, and he could feel the full might of his powers coursing through him once more.  “What the…” Sojiro asked, surprised and looked at each of them.

“What happened?” Sae demanded to know about the same time as her gaze raked across them all as their clothes changed one by one.

“Oh, right.” Akira said and scratched the back of his head. “Forgot to mention that to you, this is how we used to look in the Metaverse, or the Velvet Room.  It represents our will of rebellion.”

“Yeah, and we all have kickass code names too.” Ryuji picked up excitedly and pointed at himself for emphasis. “I’m Skull, our leader is Joker, then we have Inari, Oracle, Noir, Queen, Mona, and Panther.”  He pointed to each member of the Phantom Thieves as he gave their code names.

“I see.  The silhouettes we saw during Shido’s calling card make a lot more sense now.”  Sae said once Skull had gone through the introductions, her gaze leveling on Makoto last.  “Any particular reason you chose Queen as your code name, beyond the fact you’re one of the high ranked suits of cards in the deck?”

“It seemed fitting…” Makoto began and shifted uncomfortably under her sister's gaze. “And… in chess it is the piece that can move around the most freely.”

“It helps that Queen is one of our more tactically inclined members.  We’d have been helpless without her during some of our later heists, yours included Sae-san.”  Explained Haru as she nodded towards the black, leather clad Queen for emphasis.  “Her cool demeanor and calculating mind made it possible for us to figure out how best to take down Kaneshiro and your Shadow especially.”

“Just don’t piss her off or you might get run over.”  Ann chimed in as Makoto scowled, her Persona appearing behind her about the same time.  The robotic warrior still had a vague outline of her previous form of a beast of a motorcycle, but Makoto had come a long way since Johanna.  She now carved her own path forward, regardless of what others wanted for her, and her fully awakened Persona, Anat, reflected that strength perfectly.

“I’m glad to hear it Makoto.  And while it’s...a lot to take in, this at least further confirms the story Akira told me during our first official meeting.”

“Still had doubts huh?” Ryuji asked with a chuckle. “Doesn't matter, we need condenames for you two as well.”

“What, why?” Sojiro asked and focused his eyes on the black mask that grinned up at him. “I don't plan on going into any Palaces or the like.  I’m a bit too old to get into the same mischief you guys do.”

“He just likes giving nicknames.” Morgana told them with a shrug, which caused both adults to focus their attention on him. “So it’s easier to just get this over with… and no I am not a cat monster.”

“Huh….”  Was all Sae could say as her cognition tried to process the fact Morgana was not only standing upright, but that he was also talking like a normal human being.

“Yep, that’s Morgana.” Ann confirmed for the two of them and lightly patted Morgana's head. “He might look like this now, but he’s the same as ever.”

“Lady Ann…”  Morgana, if it were possible, would have blushed as he purred under the blonde’s affectionate pat.

“Anyway, how about…. Boss and Sis?” Ryuji suggested and looked expectantly at the two adults.

“That's…” Sae began, as she tried to think of a polite way to decline the rather unimaginative nickname.

“Hell no.” Sojiro was far quicker to put his foot down.

“I agree, these names are simply abominable.” Yusuke concluded and shook his head. “Hmm, how about… Themis for Ms. Nijima?”

Sae couldn’t help but stroke the bottom of her chin as she rolled the name around in her head.  “Themis… the titaness of Law, Order, and Fairness, I can agree to that.”

“I’m impressed you know your classical Greek.”  Stated an openly impressed Yusuke behind the fox like mask that resided on his face.

“I  _ was  _ a student of law.”  Sae countered as her eyes lit up in good natured challenge to Yusuke’s surprise.

“That leaves Boss.” Morgana noted and eyed the man critically. “Thoughts?”

“Something with curry?” Futaba suggested uncertainly. “Oh! I know, coffee!”

“Wha- No!”  Protested Sojiro.

“Hmm… what about Nilrem?” Akira asked and cocked his head. “You are, after all, more than you appear to be.”

Sojiro took only a few seconds to puzzle out what Akira had hinted at, before he smirked once he had the answer.  “Merlin?  Heh, the wise old wizard from Arthurian legend, I can get behind that.”

“Sweet!  Welcome to the crew then!”  Ryuji cheered before turning his attention towards the end of the hall as the sound of deep, amused laughter filled their ears.

“It’s been a long time since the Velvet Room has seen so many visitors at one time.  It warms my heart to see you all here once more, Phantom Thieves of Heart.”  When they had reached the end of the long hall, even Akira wasn’t sure, but he felt at ease as Igor looked towards them all with Lavenza standing next to his desk, her hands folded neatly across a heavy, leather bound tome the size of a phone book.  “For those of you who do not know who I am, my name is Igor, and it is a delight to make your acquaintance at last.”

“My name is Lavenza, and I too am honored to meet you both, Sae Nijima of the Judgment Arcana, and Sojiro Sakura, of the Hierophant Arcana.”  Lavenza curtsied to the best of her ability while keeping ahold of the Persona Compendium.

“Uh… Likewise.” Sojiro stammered at the unexpected sight in front of him glancing behind him in hopes of getting a clue on what to say.  Only he wound up disappointed by the equally floored Sae Niijima and the nonchalant Phantom Thieves.  “You’re a lotta help, you know that?”

“We know.”  Haru of all people happily pointed out, much to Sojiro’s annoyance and the rest of the group’s amusement.  Even the still confused Sae managed a smile at the young heiress’s response.

“My apologies then Igor, Lavenza, this is all just a lot to take in, as you’ve no doubt surmised.”  Sae said, to which the older man in his fancy suit nodded in agreement before waving one gloved hand in gentle dismissal.

“Of course, but you have taken a great step forward already simply by aiding the Trickster when the world’s fate was still uncertain.” Igor replied good naturedly though his unnaturally wide grin ruined the calming effect somewhat. “For that, both Lavenza and I are deeply grateful.  And let us not forget your own enormous growth, Sojiro Sakura, in the year you gave shelter to our mutual friend here.  I imagine his helping you and your daughter was the last thing you expected to occur, wasn’t it?”

“It...it was, but I’d do it all again if I had to.”

“I am sure you would, but that won’t be necessary.”  Igor replied as his grin shrank down to a much more natural size.  “Before we get to the matter at hand, there is one thing I would ask of you both.  If given the chance, would you add your untapped potential to these that have already unleashed their wills of rebellion?  Would you take up the mantle of becoming Persona Users yourselves?”

“I… don’t know.” Sae admitted after a moment of silence. “While I cannot deny that they have done many admirable things, I don’t think that their justice is what I would fight for…, but if they’d need my help, I would do all I could and more to help them.” At the end her eyes were fixed on Makoto’s and the two sisters shared a smile of mutual understanding.

“I’ll do what I can to help these kids.” Sojiro agreed with a nod. “But I don’t think that another Persona User is what they’d need.  They go out there and fight things most people can’t even imagine, I think the best way I can help them is by giving them a home.  Some place of normality where they can just be themselves and not the Phantom Thieves.”

“Sojiro….”  Futaba whispered as she looked up towards the man she was truly honored to have as a father.

Sojiro for his part merely smiled as he hugged the young woman against his side once more.  “You’re worth every headache kiddo.”

“Such truly admirable responses from you both.”  Beamed Igor as he nodded his head in abject approval.  “It is moments like these that I am truly glad that I have given my all in ensuring those that have signed a contract with me have every chance at success.  I might merely be a facilitator, a means to power unimaginable, but I have seen countless examples of how truly powerful the human heart might become, if properly nurtured along the way.  It is because of people like yourselves that the world has remained worth fighting for.”

“My master speaks the truth.”  Lavenza said as a bright, warm smile pulled at her beautiful face.  “Yaldabaoth saw only what he wanted to see in the masses he sought to erase from existence, but he underestimated just how strong even a single voice of rebellion can be, once that single soul has cast aside their chains of self doubt and submission.”

“It’s strangely encouraging to hear you say that.” Sae told them with the barest hint of a smile. “I cannot say why, but I feel as if the faith I have put in them and my clients has been justified.”

“To fight the forces of ruin, one must face them with a clear heart and an unburdened soul, but the little acts you speak of are just as important in their own way.  Don’t ever forget that as you move forward with the rest of your lives, Sojiro Sakura and Sae Niijima.”  They nodded their heads in understanding as Igor waved one gloved hand, a stack of blue faced tarot cards appearing on the desk in front of him.  “And now, to the moment you’ve prepared for.  Lavenza, if you would do the honors?”

“Of course master.”  Lavenza said as she held the Persona Compendium out before her in her small, petite hands, her arms outstretched, and let it go.  But instead of falling to the ground, the book snapped open before her, and the pages began to rapidly flip over until she found a certain page.  Once she had, she put a finger between them and the book stilled, floating before her as the strange, otherwordly words written upon it began to glow with a gentle blue light.

Against one of the open cells that lined the wall on every side, a shimmering rip in reality began to take shape as a pentagram appeared just behind the swirling vortex.  The glowing, pale blue lines were soon joined by arcane sigils and incomprehensible words, and the center of the vortex continued to grow as Lavenza read the incantation in the heavy book that was floating just in front of her.  Akira couldn’t help but wonder if this was what should have happened anytime he had fused his Personas in the past, instead of what Yaldabaoth had had him do in executing the various creatures that he had given rise to from the sea of his soul.

While she took care of her half of the spell, Igor had since turned over several cards from his deck, one for each of the Phantom Thieves, as well as Sae and Sojiro.  A quick look at them revealed that they matched them to a tee.  “Each of the cards will serve as keys to your future.  Simply approach the portal my assistant is preparing with your corresponding Arcana card, and you shall be able to pass through without incident.”

“Will we still be in the Velvet Room?” Akira asked and focused his gaze on Igor as he picked up his, that of the Fool. “Wouldn’t want to appear in front of a speeding car.”

Igor chuckled but waved his hand once more.  “Do not worry, you will appear in an empty field not far from a city center.  We wouldn’t want you to raise a ruckus shortly after your arrival after all.”

“So… that easy, huh?”  Ryuji muttered as he grabbed his own card between two gloved fingers, the Chariot.  “Just take this thing and walk through the portal.”

“Compared to our other adventures, this one seems almost tame by comparison.” Yusuke noted as he gazed upon his own card, following the drawn lines with his eyes.  The Emperor stared back, calling to mind his Persona and his journey to the point he had reached since casting aside his ‘mask’ before Madarame’s Shadow.

“Aside from the fact that we’re being sent through time? Yes.” Makoto agreed with just a hint of sarcasm.  The Priestess gazed up at her with determined eyes, making her recall her own awakening in the bank once belonging to the Shadow Kaneshiro.

“I’m ready.” Haru declared and pressed the Empress against her heart, even as she drew another shuddering breath in anxiety of what was to come.  When Yusuke put a hand against her back, she relaxed and nodded her thanks to the fox masked man at her side.

“I wish… Mom could be here.” Futaba said quietly, her gaze never leaving the Hermit card laying in her cupped hands.  “She’d love all of this.”

“Hey, what am I, chop liver?”  Sojiro asked in an effort to lighten the mood even as he too took the Hierophant card with a measure of hesitation.  Even if he was late to the party, he understood this was his last chance to change his mind, but one look towards Futaba, and his wavering resolve hardened once more as he remembered his own journey that had brought him to this moment.

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.” Ann whispered to herself as she held onto the card that depicted the Lovers Arcana.  “When I found that castle, I didn't think things would turn out like this.”

“Who would have?” Sae asked her rhetorically and lifted up her own card of the Judgment Arcana.  Despite having no Persona of her own, Sae still remembered well her own journey to reach this point as she closed her eyes as she folded her hands over the card.

“Don’t psyche yourself out now Lady Ann.  We’ll be fine!”  Morgana declared as he hopped onto the desk to take his own, the Magician, before leaping down to the ground a moment later.  Landing next to Ann, his bright, determined scowl softened as he looked up worriedly towards the blonde.  “As long as we’re together, we can overcome anything, right?”

“Right.” Ann agreed with a smile that showed only the barest hints of being forced.

“Everyone ready?” Akira asked and looked at them only to receive determined nods from those around him.  “Good, well then.  See you on the other side.”  With a smug grin, he ran forward, launching himself into a backwards cartwheel and pushed himself into the air with his hands, flying through the portal rather than merely walking through it.  The pentagram flared brightly as he touched the gateway, and dulled the moment he slipped through.  The Fool’s number appeared at the top about the same moment, a large gray zero.

“Show off.”  He heard Ann’s fond mutter before he disappeared from the Velvet Room.  Whatever doubts remained disappeared in his stylish exit, and Ann gave chase in short order.  “Hey wait for me!”  Soon she disappeared, the portal shimmering brightly again as she leaped after him.  Her passage through had a similar number appear on the right edge about the same time.

“Don't get left behind now guys!”  Morgana called out as he took off only for Ryuji to blast past him right before he reached the portal.

“Last one through’s a rotten egg!”  Cheered Ryuji behind his skull like mask as he and Morgana disappeared one right after the other.

Igor and Lavenza watched the rest of them leave with fond smiles on their respective faces.  Only after they had all gone and the portal had shut behind them did he relax in his desk’s high backed chair.  “Good luck my young friends.”  He said before turning to his young assistant.  “Such boundless energy.  It’s quite refreshing really.”

* * *

**Location:  The Citadel, the Presidium, The Human Embassy cafe**

**Date:  April 13th, 2182.  ‘Sunny’**

Halfway across the galaxy, in a massive space station where arguably the heart of galactic civilization resided, four people were planning to hold a seemingly inconsequential meeting.  But for those in the know, two of them were much more than they appeared, and were quite dangerous in their respective rights.  But they entered the cafe dedicated to their race’s grand achievements in the political stage, unnoticed and unremembered, and while they eyed the other with caution, they sat at the same table at the same time, neither willing to show weakness to their opponent.

The first was an older man with strange, cybernetic electric blue eyes that scanned the young, vibrant redhead with an intensity that told of his intense caution and keen, cold cunning.  Dressed in a sharp black suit and tie, with matching black pants and equally functional if classy black suede shoes, the grayed hair gentleman pulled a cigarette from his suit’s vest pocket before idly lighting the end of it.  “Amanda Kirijo, I’m glad you agreed to meet me.”

His counterpart merely looked down imperiously upon him as she crossed her arms defiantly over her white fur coat and the blood red bodysuit she wore underneath.  While half her face was covered by her vibrant red hair, the rest falling down her back in fiery waves, enough was revealed to show she didn’t like being here.  “Spare me the pleasantries Mr. Harper, you know why I’m here.”  Her brown eyes flicked towards his second in command with open distaste even as the raven haired young woman smiled smugly upon meeting her gaze.  “Miranda.”

Despite the scathing note in Amanda’s voice, Miranda was unaffected by it.  “Amanda.  You look well.”

“And you still look like the ice queen, working for the wrong man.”  The soft ‘cough’ from the silver haired young woman at Amanda’s side was almost missed, but it was enough to remind Amanda why they were there in the first place.  “Of course, thank you Labrys.”

“No problem boss.”  Labrys replied as she crossed her arms over her chest and smiled pleasantly towards Miranda in turn.  “Not that I blame her for bein’ a bit cross, you did try to rip out my Plume of Dusk last time we were together.”

“Call it scientific curiosity.  I acknowledge the fact that you’re more than a mere machine Labrys, but the advantages you could give humanity if Amanda wasn’t so selfish would be enormous.”  Miranda replied, making no effort to seem apologetic for trying to rip out Labrys’s ‘heart’ as she stepped closer towards the table.

“Humanity’s or Cerberus’s?”  Countered Labrys without missing a beat.

“Cerberus  _ is  _ humanity.” The Illusive Man countered and nipped some ash into an ashtray just in front of him.

“I’m not interested in old arguments.” Amanda stated with distaste evident in her voice. “Call it what you want, your operative attacked mine to get her hands on technology I’m not willing to trust you with.”

“Always so short sighted, but you wouldn’t be here if you didn't require something from those you show such disdain towards.”  Harper stated and a barely visible grin pulled at his lips when he saw even the most miniscule sign of discomfort at his statement. “So what can Cerberus do for you?”

With visible reluctance, Amanda sighed but began to tap at a device attached to her right arm.  The holographic keyboard that appeared attached to a glowing orange, hardlight construct in the shape of a glove, had her fingers dancing across its surface in short order.  Mere seconds later, Miranda’s arm glowed with a similar light as Amanda transferred a data packet to her omn-tool.  “The details are there, but to summarize, I need the area clear of your….operatives, and assurances you won’t interfere in any capacity.  We’ve detected unusual activity in the area, and I can only assume it’s them, just as was promised by my great grandmother.”

“The Phantom Thieves of Heart?”  Jack asked, his turn to be visibly surprised by this turn of events.

“I’m not surprised you know.  I won’t ask because you’d likely just deny or lie about the source of your information, but I won’t tolerate your people’s presence in this.”

“I see, and what are you willing to give me to ensure that I will keep my word?”

“You misunderstand.” Amanda told him as her eyes became pure ice. “I am telling you this as a favour to Miranda, despite her attempted theft, if any of your men are there, they will be eliminated with extreme prejudice.  This is a heads up, if you take it you owe me one, if not… well, I’m afraid my guns are bigger than yours.”  A less than subtle glance towards Labrys as well as a second, blonde haired girl at a nearby table, casually sipping at a cup of coffee, said all that she needed to say.  Jack’s face hardened further as the blonde threw him and Miranda a cheeky salute before he saw her hand twist and flop down at the wrist, the barrel of a high powered assault rifle just visible beneath where her hand had once resided.

“Are you truly expecting that it’d be that easy?”  Jack growled low in his throat as the blonde haired machine kept her assault rifle trained, not on him he realized, but on Miranda herself.  She knew then.  He shouldn't have been surprised but he still couldn’t help but be more than a little annoyed that she had seen through his efforts.

“No, but I know you’re not stupid.  You know I can hurt Cerberus a lot, more than you have to gain from this.  I’m also aware that you’re not really here, but Miranda is.” Amanda told him with some satisfaction audible in her voice.  “So, do we have a deal?”

Harper narrowed his eyes at her, staring her down for a couple of seconds before he slowly breathed out. “How’d you figure it out?”

“Your cigarette, you prepared well, that the smell of one would be easy to pick up, but you are still a hologram and thus your ashtray is still empty.”

“Perceptive.” The Illusive Man conceded and took another deep drag. “Very well, no one affiliated with Cerberus will be there, but that’s it. I won’t promise not to come after them in the future.”

“You can try, but if I find any bugs or drones around there, I know whom to hurt, just a reminder.  Gladius, stand down.”  ‘Gladius’ nodded her head as her hand returned to its original form and shape as Amanda began to stand, Labrys never far from her side.  “And Miranda, if I ever find you within sight of my people again, I won’t hesitate to put you down myself.”

“You won’t.”  Miranda promised, her smile never faltering despite the threat that had been thrown between them.  “I will say I’ll miss our long talks together, and that I’m sorry things turned out like this.”

“....As will I, but you must have known this would be the end result when you tried to hurt Labrys...and me.”  While her back was turned to the Operative, Amanda could sense the momentary regret behind her dark haired counterpart’s eyes.  Miranda Lawson was not just what she appeared to be, but unfortunately her loyalty to Cerberus made it impossible to recruit her, or trust her completely for that matter.  Perhaps one day things would change, but right now she was an enemy.

Though a part of Amanda regretted having to classify her as such. Miranda and her had worked together before, both professionals had come to respect the other. That all changed when the Cerberus operative tried to destroy Labrys, the 5th Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon that had protected the Kirijo family since Mitsuru Kirijo herself.  If it weren’t for Amanda’s assistance, Miranda would have succeeded. It truly was a shame. The saddest thing about betrayal was undoubtedly that it never came from an enemy, but rather the people you mistakenly trusted.

Only once she was sure that they were out of sight of Miranda and her boss did Amanda’s icy veneer melt, and she let the weight of the galaxy hit her just as Labrys’s arm fell across her shoulders.  “Did I do the right thing, letting them go?  Letting…. _ her _ go?”

“Ya did the best ya could Amanda.  It’s not for any’one to say who should live or die.  Besides, ya know her, she ain’t gonna go down easy. Can’t risk that on the Citadel of all places. Damn salarians have been snooping around enough as it is.”  Amanda barked a laugh but smiled, truly grateful for her family’s eternal guardian, especially in moments like these.  Labrys beamed and smiled in turn before turning to her younger ‘sister’ as the golden haired blonde caught up with them.  “I take it they’re gone?”

“Yep, disappeared like a pair of farts.”  Gladius replied as she sighed, her green eyes shimmering with her disappointment.  “It’s too bad really, I’d have preferred a little excitement for a change.”

“Be careful what you wish for Gladius, all too often we get exactly what we want.”  Gladius bowed her head to Amanda but the mischievous gleam in her eyes hardly faltered as the current head of the Kirijo Group began to walk towards the parking garage for the Citadel Embassies.  “Let’s get back, hopefully we’ll have a smooth operation and get our guests to safety before trouble finds them.”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath on that kiddo.  Persona Users are nothin’  _ but  _ trouble.”  The elbow she nudged into Amanda’s side had the young woman rolling her eyes even as her smile widened despite her efforts to regain her earlier neutral demeanor.

“Do you ever regret living as long as you have, Labrys?”  Amanda asked suddenly, surprising the much older Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon with the bluntness of the question.

Labrys stopped in the middle of the metallic hall, where a number of various beings, salarian, asari, turian, even a few drell and elcor, walked by on either side, and let her red eyes fall to the ground between her feet.  “Yeah….it gets pretty lonely at times, seein’ people I’ve grown to love beginnin’ to slowly age, grow old, and eventually die, but at the same time, it gives me an opportunity to meet new folks like yerself and get to know them in turn.  Life needs to keep goin’, and I’ve seen so much, experienced so much, since the old days.  My immortality and the problems it gives me aside, I’m grateful to have lived this long. Besides, I don’t feel like quitting yet, and I figure I’ll know when to best kick the bucket.”

“Thank you.” Amanda told her sincerely. “For standing not just by me, but my family for as long as you did… and no matter what happens in the future, I’ll expect to meet you on the other side, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes ma’am.” Labrys replied and gave a mock salute. “Whatever you say ma’am.”  Just as quickly though, Labrys’s smile faded and chose to gently remind Amanda of an important lesson she’d learned long ago.  “Two in harmony….”

“Surpasses one in perfection.  You’re right.  Enough of this, we have work to do.”  Finding the long black limousine at last, Amanda climbed aboard once Labrys and Gladius deemed that their Cerberus ‘friends’ hadn’t gotten cute by sabotaging the vehicle during their meeting.  She relaxed more easily as the car lifted off the ground as Gladius piloted them away from the Embassies, and towards the Kirijo Group’s corporate headquarters on the Citadel, that housed far more than the common people would ever know about.  Looking out the window, Amanda’s reflection greeted her eyes, along with the phantom silhouette of her Persona just behind her.  That alone was enough to assure her that she was on the right path.


	5. Welcome to the 22nd Century

**Chapter 5:**

**Welcome to the 22nd Century**

=====================

**Location:  Earth, ???**

**Date:  ???.  Late Afternoon  Rainy**

Skidding to a stop some several feet away, Akira’s clothes transformed back to his civilian clothes as he stood to his full height.  He wisely stepped back and to the side just as Ryuji blew past, his momentum carrying him further than he’d meant to go as the wet grass beneath his pounding feet nearly made him slip and fall on his butt.  Some timely waving his arms around saved him from falling over, but not from slamming into the stone wall just in front of him.  “Ow…..”

“You alright?” Akira asked with a raised eyebrow.  His friend had just run into a solid wall after all.

“Yeah… just give me a minute.” Ryuji groaned and checked himself over, one hand pressed against his sore nose. “Nothing broken at least, but damn, I think I just flattened my nose.”

“It’s an improvement.”  Morgana called out as the cat, now an actual cat once more, landed on Akira’s shoulder not a split second after hitting the wet grass at a run.  Chuckling as Ryuji rounded on him, the black tabby merely grinned crookedly at the young man.  “At least we made it alright.”

Akira nodded as he stepped forward just as Ann came stumbling out of the gateway, catching her as she flailed wildly about when her feet hit the wet ground.  “Th-thanks.”

“Couldn’t you have caught me too?” Ryuji immediately complained and rubbed his still sore nose.

“Ryuji, I _am_ a gentleman.” Akira replied in mock appalment. “You can take care of yourself.”

“Are you for real?”  His only answer was an amused grin from their leader and a clasp on his shoulder as he walked past.  “So what?  Yes?  No?”

“Give it up Ryuji.” Morgana advised him as he began cleaning his fur. “You know how he is.”

“Nevermind that, did anyone bring an umbrella?”  Ann asked as her clothes were slowly soaked by the near torrential downpour.  “Come to think of it, did we even go anywh-”  She was cut off when her eyes fell on something she hadn’t expected to find despite knowing they were jumping feet first into a new time and place.  “Uh…..that’s...different.”  She stammered and pointed towards what she’d spotted a short distance away.

Makoto, for her part, once she had adjusted her umbrella so that it covered herself and Haru, took one look at what Ann was pointing at and said, “Huh.  A flying car.”

“You’re not more freaked out about the fact a car’s _flying_?!”  Stammered an equally stunned Ryuji as he too saw the vehicle pass over the rain drenched trees on either side.  Putting a hand up over his eyes, he followed its passage for as long as he could until it disappeared behind an incredibly tall skyscraper on the edge of the park’s perimeter.

“Hey, Mona think you can turn into one of these with some training?” Futaba asked eagerly as she sought cover under Sojiro’s mantle.

“So, this is the future?” Haru asked in wonderment and looked around even as she was combing through her own bags in search of an umbrella.  Finding one, she pulled it out just as Sae produced her own once she’d joined the rest of the group.  “It’s more clean than I expected.”  A quick look around revealed that the graffiti and bits of litter they’d grown used to back home wasn’t present here.  Not only that, but the air, despite being in the center of a city from what they could tell, was much crisper and cleaner than they were used to.

“And at the same time it is less fantastical than I imagined.” Yusuke noted and looked around. “Though I must say the aesthetics have changed more than I would have expected.”  While some of the buildings off in the distance were much taller and wider than he remembered, most were still made of metal, glass, and the like.  But the giant, window sized screens displayed advertisements for more of the flying cars they’d seen already, strange foods they’d never heard of, and much more besides.  Not only that, but some of the trees and flowers around them were much more exotic and dare he think it, alien.  They were beautiful, to be sure, but while he was no expert on flowers, Yusuke was sure there’d never been rose like bushes that glowed softly with light as they turned their petals towards the rain falling from the heavy, dark gray clouds far above.

“It’s strange, I would have expected myself to feel different, we are in a different time after all.” Sae marveled and took in their surroundings as well. “Instead of us, everything else has changed… it’s a strange feeling.  Huh.”  Glancing towards what looked like an oval, gray white metal pod, Sae walked over to the machine and peered inside.  She just as quickly took a step back when the front of its interior lit up, displaying some kind of holographic interface.  “Hmm...perhaps it’s some kind of public terminal, like an old payphone?  Extranet…hmm.  Their version of the internet perhaps?”

“It’s a good guess.”  Futaba as she immediately jumped behind the interface, sitting down on the provided seat as she reached out her arms and locked her fingers together.  With a wide smirk on her face, the young girl wasted no time in trying to figure out the terminal’s controls.  “Ah, I see how this works.  Heheheh, neural interface capable, holographic keyboard input, extremely fast connection speed, for being a public access terminal this thing is beastly!”

“Oracle, can you tell us where we ended up?” Akira asked as his eyes still filtered about, seemingly bored, but those that knew him were aware that he was highly aware of everything going on around them.

“I can give you way more than that in a few seconds.”  Declared an all too visibly giddy Futaba as her fingers fluidly danced across the light projection in front of her.

“Take your time.” He replied with a smirk. “We aren't going anywhere just yet.”

"How can you be so nonchalant about this?" Sojiro demanded to know, his eyes almost as wide as his glasses as he spun in place on his way to Futaba’s side, trying to process everything that was going on around him.

"Well, we are the phantom thieves who traverse a world made up by the human cognition, or perhaps it’d be more accurately to say the cognition of sapient beings.  Mona can turn into a car, we met a robotic girl, and we killed a god.  We’ve grown accustomed to situations such as these." Makoto pointed out with the tiniest hint of an amused grin visible on her face.

“And that’s without going into the various Palaces we’ve been in.” Ann helpfully supplied with a giggle.

“I don’t want to know.” Sojiro groaned out and shook his head. “Seriously, you kids are weird.”

“You could have stayed home.”  Futaba sing songed before she sat bolt upright in the terminal’s chair as she pulled up a local map of the area.  “Well, I know where we are, but this is nuts!  We’re in Inokashira Park!”

“For real?!” Ryuji cried out and looked frantically around.  “But it looks way different then normal!”

“We did just travel through time, some changes are to be expected.” Yusuke answered calmly. “Still, I agree, this is a surprise.”

“Futaba, uhm can you tell us… when we are?”  Haru asked hesitantly and let out a nervous squeak.  Even Yusuke putting a hand on her shoulder failed to calm her down like last time as she hugged her arms around herself.

“Yeah give me a sec.”  Futaba replied, before another furious barrage of keystrokes followed later.  “Hmm….ah here we go.  Whoa…..April 13th, 2182?!  We jumped nearly two hundred years?!”

“That _is_ unexpected.” Yusuke agreed and looked over Futaba's shoulder. “Is there anything else we should be aware of?”

“Well...apparently we found alien ruins on Mars, and then we met actual aliens shortly after that.”  Futaba muttered, no longer grinning like a loon as the enormity of their situation began to sink in at last.  “According to this, the ruins on Mars were from a race called the protheans, and while no one knows why they vanished, their technology has allowed us to jump start our own, allowing us to colonize entire worlds and explore the stars.  Yeesh….I can’t decide if I’m giddy or ready to burst into tears about this.”

“Hold that thought.”  Akira whispered to the girl as he felt eyes upon them.  Turning away from the terminal, he was the first to see they were being watched.  Sitting on a nearby park bench, he saw a man in a dark black suit as he subtly returned to looking at a glowing device on his right hand, a news article pulled up on a similar holographic interface.  “Does he really think we wouldn’t notice?”

“He’s sitting on a bench, while it’s raining.” Makoto growled out. “I feel like I’ve just been insulted.”

“So what?  We confront him?” Ryuji suggested and looked at the rest of them eagerly.

“No, not yet. Perhaps he’s merely the bait.” Akira suggested and activated his third eye to check their surroundings.  If there were others watching them, then they were no Persona users at least, unless of course they were staying out of his line of sight.  No easy feat that since his third eye was virtually unavoidable, but someone hidden sufficiently behind ample cover would still go unnoticed.  “I have a feeling that spotting him was too easy.”  No sooner had the words left his mouth did he spot another person walking towards them, making no secret that he was aware that their little game was up as the second dark suited man held up his hands.  “I thought so.”

“We had heard you were perceptive Mr. Akira, but you impress me my young friend.”  He was Indian, his dark skin and black, shortly cropped hair a dead giveaway to his Middle Eastern descent, but Akira only cocked his head to the side as the man stopped just a short distance away.  Despite his face being pitted and wrinkled from age, there was an older gentleman charm to the man in front of them as he slowly let his white gloved hands fall to his sides when he stopped just a few steps away from the group.  Now that he was closer, Akira could make out gray green eyes set in his face, with a just noticeable scar cutting a jagged line down the right side of his face.  “We had detected your arrival, but we weren’t expecting such a large crowd.  Ms. Kirijo will be pleased all the same since it seems her great grandmother was right in her guess you’d return one day.”

“You know the Kirijos?”  Makoto asked as she stood protectively in front of Sae and Haru while Yusuke did the same, his eyes narrowing to slits.

“I understand your caution given your very unique situation, but yes.  My name is Ahsan Khatri.”

“Can you give us any proof that you truly work for who you claim.” Akira asked calmly, his eyes never leaving the man in front of them while simultaneously subtly moving between him and his friends.

“Yes, I was asked to give you a message.” Ahsan replied and shuffled uncomfortably.  “Uh….’Boxers and a white shirt don’t look too bad on you, Joker.’”

“The hell?!” Ann shouted and took a step forward. “What's that supposed to mean?!”

“My apologies, but that was the message I was asked to deliver.”  Ahsan offered as he folded his hands behind his back, his gray green eyes never leaving Akira’s face even as he addressed them all equally.

“Labrys.” Akira chuckled, nodded his head, and smirked softly all at once.  He had to give Labrys points for her clever message, it had certainly gotten his attention.  If their situation had been reversed, he would have probably done the same.  While he didn’t openly admit as much, when he visibly relaxed, the rest of his friends followed his example as he nodded his head towards Ahsan.  “Is she still around?”

“She is, and she’s been looking forward to the reunion.”  Ahsan replied as he too relaxed now that it seemed he had gotten through to them, at least for the moment.  “Unfortunately she and Ms. Kirijo are off world at the moment, and sent me and my team to pick you up.  They’ll be back in a couple of days however, but she entrusted me with the task to get you started in adjusting to your new surroundings.”

“Your team stand out like sore thumbs, but we do thank you for doing all this.”  Yusuke said as he let his eyes flick towards the man on the bench, who grimaced at having been so easily spotted once he realized he was being called out.

Ahsan sighed but waved his hands at neck level with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders.  “He’s new.”  Was his only explanation.

“Obviously.”

“Even Ryuji wasn't that green.” Morgana scoffed and shook his head only to get a strange look from Ahsan.  “Ah, I see.  His cognition likely hasn’t adjusted to my presence.  Hehe.”

Unaware that Morgana was no doubt plotting some kind of harmless mischief, Ahsan turned to Akira, the question he wanted to ask written all over his face.  “I take it your companion just said something? I am afraid I can't understand him.  Hearing of a talking cat is one thing… believing it is another.”

“I know the feeling.”  Sojiro muttered quietly with a heavy sigh. “As interesting as this is, could we get out of this downpour?”

“Of course my friends.”  Ahsan clasped his hands at chest level before waving one towards a nearby black limousine that had, up until that moment, gone unnoticed by them.  “Please follow me.”

Akira nodded and strode after the man, making a few hand gestures behind his back to the rest of his team. A remnant from their time as Phantom Thieves, he had just ordered them to be wary and to keep an eye on their surroundings while doing their best to protect Sae and Sojiro.  He smirked quietly behind his glasses when he saw they had already begun to move long before he finished ‘speaking’ to them.

“What did I miss?” Sae whispered quietly and looked at Makoto as she found herself beside Sojiro within a loose formation of thieves as they followed after Ahsan and his entourage.

“Keep an eye on our surroundings, and protect you two.”  Makoto whispered so as not to alert their tagalongs as to what they were up to.  “We’ve gotten good at speaking and reading ‘thieves cant’.”

“No surprise given your other life.”  Sae mused thoughtfully even as she glanced down at her little sister, “but I’m hardly defenseless.  I can take care of myself.”

“I know, but he didn’t have to ask since I’m not about to let anyone get close to you Sis.”  Despite her pride being slightly bruised by Akira’s silent order that she and Sojiro needed to be protected, Sae smiled at Makoto’s declaration as she let it go, much to the younger Nijima’s relief as they began to pile into the limousine one by one.  “At least the limo is about what I’d expect from the Kirijo Group.  Business is still going well, Mr. Khatri?”

“Please, Ahsan is fine.”  Ahsan replied happily as he sat across from the large group while the rest of his men spaced themselves around him with one man jumping behind the driver’s seat.  “But yes, the Kirijo Group is stronger than ever in this century, and I think you’ll find your living quarters to be more than adequate once we reach our destination.”

“Thank you, but please, there is no reason for you to trouble yourselves so much for our sake.”  Haru was quick to say with a gentle shake of her head.  Whether it was the familiar confines of the limousine, despite the fact they soon found themselves several dozen feet off the ground, or because Yusuke was next to her, Akira was happy to see Haru was looking better as she continued, “although seeing Labrys again, despite our very brief encounter in our own time, will be reassuring.”

“Do not worry Ms. Okumura, it’s truly no trouble at all.  While publically, the Kirijo Group is still the leading forefront in medical and technological breakthroughs, which ensure we continue to exist at the forefront of business as well, secretly, our stance remains as it has ever been since Mitsuru Kirijo took control over her family’s holdings.  Her great granddaughter, Amanda Kirijo, has ordered us to ensure your every need is met, and it is a small price to pay in my opinion since we have more than enough to go around.”

“And am I right in assuming that your real mission is to ensure that threats like Nyx and Yaldabaoth don’t gain another foothold in our world again?”  Yusuke asked, to which Ahsan nodded his head.

“Indeed.  Tell me Mr. Kitagawa, how is your Latin?”  Ahsan asked unexpectedly, which earned him a sheepishly confused look from the artist.

“It’s unfortunately a bit rusty.”  He admitted, to which Ahsan nodded once more.

“Nosce te ipsum.  It means, know thyself.”  When he said that, everyone save for Ahsan’s team jumped when the silhouette of a Persona appeared behind the suited individual.  It was too faded and spectral to make anything out, but it was enough to get the point across as it faded just as quickly.  “Your journey is by far not the only one that’s been undertaken.  I became a Persona User not long after joining my freshman class.  Perhaps I’ll even tell you the story one day, but know that we are not so different from each other, despite the age and vast time difference.”

“That’s good to hear.” Akira acknowledged with a miniscule nod.  “Never can have too much help with these things.”

“That’s true.” Ahsan agreed with an easy going smile.

“Why are you all so tense?” Ann asked suddenly and turned her eyes on the leader of their little escort. “I mean not everyone would notice, but I can see that you guys aren't as relaxed as you appear to be.”

“Ah… I apologize for that, but we are a bit wary of some… uninvited guests.” Ahsan explained with a grimace. “During the time you were… absent, others have begun to take an unhealthy interest in our activities, and while they lack true understanding of what we’re capable of, they are not to be underestimated.  This is why Ms. Kirijo could not attend, she is currently dealing with this other group’s leader so that we could extract you without interference.  But like you, we do not let our guard down easily.”

“That makes sense I suppose.”  Sojiro mused.  “Where are we going exactly?  I don’t think you mentioned that.”

“Ah, my apologies I did not mean to worry you by not saying so sooner.”  Ahsan huffed a short laugh and clasped his hands before him once more.  “We will be traveling to a hotel that is owned by one of our dummy companies.  We wouldn't want anyone figuring out who you really are by being seen affiliated with us.  From there we’ll be hopping a flight to the Kirijo compound not far from Tatsumi Port Island, tomorrow morning, so rest well.  Kirishima Island has been converted to house many other Persona Users such as yourselves, who are also on their own journeys of self discovery.  Uh...and I do not wish to alarm you, but you know that we’ve since met aliens, yes?”

“Yeah we heard.”  Ryuji stated as he crossed his arms over his chest before nodding his head towards Futaba.  “We had her look up some info for us before you folks showed up.”

“Ah, good good.  Well, I only bring it up because not all our students are human, so I did not wish for it to be an unexpected surprise.  All are equal in our fight against those that would destroy us all if given a chance, so I simply ask that you keep an open mind should you find yourself working alongside one of our galactic neighbors.”

“We will.”  Akira promised with a sage nod of his head that was soon echoed by the rest of his friends. “Though I fear we need a bit of a crash course on recent events… or better yet, of all that's happened since we left.  Would it be too much to ask for specialized schedules for each member of us later on?”

“As long as they are reasonable, there should be no trouble.  We had already assumed you’d need information to be fully capable here, and had prepared accordingly.  You’ll be assigned a number of private tutors until you’ve caught up with what would normally be expected with those who have lived in this time their whole lives.”

“Almost two hundred years into the future and we still gotta go to school?” Ryuji loudly complained and sagged. “Man, this is nothing like I thought it would be.”

“Yeah, but this time we’re all gonna be in the same school and class, right?” Ann pointed out optimistically and grinned at her friends.

“It’d make sense, and I will make sure none of you neglect your education.” Makoto promised them with a stern glare.  Sae chuckled and smiled approvingly while the rest of the group grimaced under the younger Nijima’s determined gaze.

Turning to Ahsan herself, Sae crossed one leg over the other at the knee, her gaze no less focused.  “I assume you had something more in mind for myself and Mr. Sakura.”

“While we weren’t prepared for those related to the Phantom Thieves themselves, I’m sure we can easily come up with something for you both.  Am I wrong in asking that you were a defense attorney during your time?”

“Correct, I’m Makoto’s older sister, Sae Nijima.  I was a public prosecutor first, but I had a much needed change of heart during the Masayoshi Shido fiasco.”  Answered Sae, and while she hid it well, the minute furrow in her brow and the way her eyes instinctively flicked away from Ahsan’s gaze spoke volumes to those that noticed.

The meaning wasn’t lost on Ahsan either for her sudden if subtle discomfort as he caught on immediately to what Sae had hinted at.  “Ah, I see I see.  You were one of their targets then.”

“She was.”  Makoto confirmed with a painful grimace of her own.  “But… we never stole her heart.  She changed on her own after we defeated her Shadow.”  Sae’s soft smile uplifted Makoto’s spirit as she met her elder sister’s gaze.  The gentle squeeze as their hands met helped in its own way as Makoto’s visage shifted, her features softening even as her deep well of determination shone through her reddish brown eyes.

“Even more amazing.  Perhaps…..”  Whatever he’d been about to say he kept to himself as he stroked the bottom of his stubble covered chin.  “I suppose we’ll just have to see what the future holds.  Now, before I forget, I might as well give you these before we arrive.  You’ll thank me later, I assure you.”  Without a word, one of Ahsan’s crew bent down to the side and opened up a heavy duty carrying case before he pulled out a similar device that they’d seen on the amateur agent’s hand.  “It’s called an omni-tool, a metal framework capable of creating and binding a hard light interface, which in turn allows the user a great deal of accessibility to our everyday conveniences.  These might only be your basic civilian models, but once you get familiar with their use, we’ll get you something more….appropriate.”  Ahsan couldn’t help but chuckle even as Futaba made him eat his words in short order when, in no less than thirty seconds, she had her omni-tool set to her liking and had a search program running.  “I see where your tech support originates from.”  He said with a light hearted laugh.

“You could say that.” Akira remarked with a laugh of his own. “As you can probably guess, once we’re acclimated, I’d like for Oracle to have additional lessons regarding this age's technology. If there is something with power, I want her able to hack it.”

“Hehe, that sounds like a challenge.” Futaba giggled, slightly manic as her fingers continued to dance over the orange, holographic display in front of her as the gloved fingers flexed minutely, furthering her speedy information gathering as the neural uplink with her nervous system grew more adapted to her.  “Man, I am loving this already!”

“Fox could use an atelier if possible, not just for his private use, but also for his work as a Phantom Thief.” Akira went on further, more than sure Futaba was satisfied for the moment, and received a nod from Yusuke for his remark. “He’s our master forger.”

“I would not call myself such, but I have been known to make impressive work when I’ve been properly motivated.”  Yusuke replied humbly even as a little confident grin split his face.

“Anything we’ve missed, such as strengths of various species, their weaknesses, myths, culture, and anything else we might need in this day and age, I would like to have Queen to possess, preferably backed up in written form for easy reference later.  If we ever have to go up against anything, human or otherwise, I want to her to have a plan ready to take it down.”

“Leave it to me.” Makoto agreed with a predatory glint in her eyes.

“Considering who we are, we need information about today’s security and how to best avoid it… probably a few stealth classes for us all couldn't hurt.” Akira noted before he turned his gaze to Haru.  “Noir will handle our group’s finances, it’s one of her many talents.  If you could give her some lessons about the current market situation and currency, I’d be grateful.”

“I too would appreciate the assistance as well Mr. Khatri.”  Haru replied with a soft nod and an equally soft, warm smile.

“But of course Ms. Okumura.”  Ahsan replied, taking all of their requests down on his own omni-tool without ever letting his eyes stray from each of their respective faces.

Turning his gaze on Ryuji next, Akira nodded when he perked up in his seat in anticipation.  “Skull could use a martial arts trainer, and if you happen to have a track field that he could use from time to time for some stamina training, I’m certain he’d be happy.”

“Hell yeah!  Leave it to me.”  Ryuji declared as a wide grin appeared on his face.  “It’ll be good to start running again if nothin’ else.”

“Panther could use some info on today's fashion as well as access to the fashion scene.  As our con artist, anything would help.”

“Including actual acting lessons…”  Ann admitted sheepishly as her pale cheeks turned almost as red as her red jacket.  “You guys don’t have to say it, I know I couldn’t act my way out of a wet bag.”

“And yet you still were able to get the better of more than one of our adversaries with your….charms.”  Yusuke replied both to assure Ann but also to remind her that, despite her lack of skill, that she’d been able to pull off some impressive feats.

“I’ll… see what I can do.” Ahsan said slowly and looked at Akira a little warily, apparently all too aware that the young man's demands had yet to cease.  On the plus side, Ahsan was happy to note that he was being polite about it all.

“As for Mona, it might sound strange, but he’s the one that taught me all about the various infiltration tools we used.  So any info you have should find its way to him, but also a way to contact him.  He can hardly operate an omni-tool or at least not without being rather suspicious about it, so if you could offer us some alternatives, we would welcome them with open arms.”

“Leave it to me Joker.” Morgana declared smugly. “There’ll be nothing in this galaxy that I won't be able to crack.  Mwehehehehe!”

“....And here I thought I’d seen everything after seeing my first Shadow.”  Ahsan mused, disbelief finally appearing on his face as his fingers paused over his omni-tool’s surface.  Even if he and his men couldn’t understand the cat, the way Morgana threw back his head in his best impression of a maniacal laugh needed no translation.  With a sigh, he shrugged and made a note of Akira’s request anyway.  “And what of you Mr. Kurusu?”

“I’d like to get a copy of every bit of data you send my friends, since I am their leader.  I need to know what they know.  Aside from that, I would welcome every bit of training I could get on how to enter highly secure locations undetected… in the real world.  Oh and a few fake IDs for us all, preferably with a background as close to the real thing as possible to avoid us getting our stories mixed up.”

“I see… anything else?”  Despite the seemingly unending, and admittedly strange requests in Morgana’s case, Ahsan was still dutifully taking notes without complaint as he looked up after finishing up the latest entry into his omni-tool.

“Well, Nilrem here could use some updates on the culinary arts and what different species eat.  Would be a shame if only humans could enjoy his curry.”

“Heh, never thought I’d say it, but I’m actually looking forward to the chance to try out my cooking for someone other than you guys.”  Sojiro said as he grinned, almost as excited as Ryuji was at the prospects that now lay before them.

“I’ll see what I can do.”  Ahsan promised as he looked towards Sojiro with keen interest.  “I’ve actually a fond weakness for a good bowl of curry myself.”

“Who doesn’t like curry?”  Futaba asked without looking up from her new omni-tool.

“Themis would undoubtedly be very thankful if you could tell her how the law changed in comparison to what she’s used to.  And of course get her a license to work as an attorney.”

“The backgrounds, IDs, and getting her reinstated will actually be the simplest chores you’ve given me Mr. Kurusu.  Any particular field you’d like to focus on Ms. Nijima?”

“So long as my talents aren’t wasted, I’ll be content with public defense.  If I change my mind however, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Understood, I’ll relay these instructions as soon as I can.”  Ahsan replied as he saved the notes he’d taken before quickly shutting down his omni-tool.

“Thanks.” Akira told the man sincerely before an amused grin spread across his face. “Oh… and we would need to later decide on a spot for our headquarters… I figured a small cafe would be perfect.”  This he directed more towards Sojiro than Ahsan, but they both caught his meaning at about the same time.  In Sojiro’s case he couldn’t help but smile and nod his appreciation for the thought, while Ahsan simply smiled.

“You truly are the Fool of this group I see.”  Ahsan stated, the note of pride in his voice clearly audible to everyone in the vehicle.  “Only a Fool would be so on top of things and yet be so considerate to their fellows at the same time.  A Jester would be the exact opposite, far more concerned with their own well being at the cost of those around them.  I’ve seen both in my time, and I will always prefer the former.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Akira confirmed with a smug if soft smile as his gray eyes moved from face to face.  “As a side note, call me Joker when we’re on the job.  Anywhere else, it’s Akira.”

“Duly noted Akira.”  Ahsan replied, that same note of pride giving way to abject approval from what he could see in the young man’s face and those he surrounded himself with.  Their bonds were unbreakable, their trust in each other unquestioning.  It warmed his heart considerably to see just how far they’d come together.  It made his own job that much more satisfying, to see just how far a group such as theirs could go when given the chance, depsite whatever obstacles they had had to overcome.  Or it was probably more accurate to say that it was _because_ of those hardships that they were so strong.  Whatever the case, Ahsan thanked his lucky stars that he’d been given this honor.

==================

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Roppongi District, The Ritz Carlton Hotel**

**Date:  April 13th, 2182.  Late Afternoon  Rainy**

“Ah, Mr. Khatri-san, welcome, welcome.”  Ahsan smiled warmly and nodded his head to the attendant sitting behind the desk as if it were the most natural thing in the world as they left the private parking deck where their driver had set the limousine down only a short time ago.

“It’s good to be back Nia’ri.  You look well.”  Nia’ri’s deep hazel eyes brightened as her pale blue lips pulled upward into a broad smile, her cheeks darkening under the heartfelt praise.

“Flirt.”  The woman mock grumbled before saying, “Keep it coming.”

Ahsan chuckled and patted Nia’ri’s hand that had since found a new home on his upper arm.  “For you my dear, anything.”

To everyone else however, despite the all too human exchange between the two clearly old friends, seeing the blue skinned….woman...was a bit of a surprise despite having been warned in advance what they were going to encounter.  “Uh….”  Ryuji trailed off as he scratched the back of his head.

Having come in through the parking garage, which’d been empty save for their group, meant that they hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary until they entered the lobby.  While Ahsan’s friend stood out from the norm, she wasn’t the only one they saw that was something other than human as the Phantom Thieves gaped and gawked at everyone that thankfully ignored them in turn as they moved through the enormous, grand lobby.  But while the strange sights of tall, dark skinned, mandible faced beings mixed with horned, amphibious people, just to name two examples, were downright strange, it was Nia’ri herself was what had their undivided attention.

Seeing their confused and stupefied looks, a feeling even Akira wasn’t completely immune to, Nia’ri’s smile immediately turned to a look of understanding as her eyes swept over all of them.  “You could have said you were on business Ahsan.”  She gently chastised the man as she playfully pushed at the same arm she’d been hanging off of only moments ago.  “I must apologize for not realizing sooner, I must look quite the sight to you.”

“It is surprising….”  Akira admitted uncertainly, but shrugged off most of the feeling as he took a step forward, hands tucked in his pockets after he adjusted one of the bags on his back, “but if you know about us, then-”

“Yes, I know the truth, at least I know enough about you to do my job.  Plausible deniability and all that.”  Nia’ri replied before she subtly jerked her head to a nearby bank of elevators.  “Follow me before someone asks why we’re all standing around.”  The shift from playful to business was fast, but it was assuring to see it as Nia’ri promptly turned and walked away.  The near leg long, leather like robe she wore did little to hinder her movement as she quickly walked away with them falling in behind her.

“Nia’ri’s been a good friend of mine for near thirty years.  She understands our need for...discretion.”  Ahsan explained once the glass elevator doors shut before they began their ascent to the fifty-first floor, the number standing out among the others on the holographic interface once Nia’ri’s long, slender blue finger was retracted.

“Meh, that and I can’t spill information I don’t have, but I know that he and the people he works with do immeasurable good.”  Nia’ri explained, making it clear the dynamics of their relationship, both business and personal related, to the others of the group.  “And my people have our own stories about….the things that no one would ever believe unless confronted with them.”

“I don’t mean to be rude,” Sojiro began once that bit of information had been filed away by the rest of the group, himself included, “but just...what are you?”

“An asari.”  Nia’ri chuckled in response and waved off what would have likely been an apology.  “And don’t worry about asking questions, it’s to be expected if the rumors are true about you people.  I don’t want to know, but I won’t lie either, I’m also very curious, but again the less I know, the better for everyone.”  Even as Akira nodded his head, he opened his third eye and examined them both out of sheer curiosity.  Unsurprisingly, Ahsan had the glow of a Persona User, but Nia’ri had no such power herself.  Despite confirming as much for himself, he couldn’t help but notice a dark blue, strange glow about her that seemed to radiate from her with every breath.  Mistaking his look for something else, Nia’ri asked, a mischievous gleam in her green eyes, “See anything you like?”

Before he could even try to answer that loaded question, Ahsan clucked his tongue in mock disapproval at the asari at his side, “That’s enough of that Nia’ri, let them get a good night sleep before you start flirting with them all.”

“I can’t help it, the frizzy haired one is pretty cute, but I have a fondness for blondes myself.”  Ann blushed and stammered incoherently at that as Nia’ri let out a peal of musical laughter.  Turning more fully to her, the asari’s smile softened as she put a hand on the human woman’s arm.  “Don’t take my flirtatious antics the wrong way, I’m truly harmless, I promise.  You _are_ beautiful though, don’t ever doubt that.”

“Th-thanks.”  While her pale cheeks were still a fire engine red, Ann managed a weak, grateful smile for the sincere compliment that had been given to her.

Akira said nothing as Nia’ri’s hand fell from Ann’s shoulder, but the little nod he gave the alien didn’t go unnoticed as she smirked in response.  Ahsan rolled his eyes but smiled at what was happening between her and those her eye had fell upon.  “My life just got a lot more interesting, didn’t it?”

“You get used to it.”  Makoto chimed in as Haru smiled in clear agreement.  “And don’t worry Ms. Nia-”  She was puzzled when Nia’ri chuckled and shook her head in gentle denial.  “Uh...did I say something wrong?”

“Asari don’t have gender roles the way you do.  All of us are monogendered, meaning while we vaguely resemble your Earth women, we don’t think of ourselves as such.”

“For real?!  Then how do you-”  Ryuji never got to finish the question before Makoto slammed her elbow into his stomach as covertly as she could.

The damage was done though as Nia’ri once more laughed with a fond smile pulling at her lips.  Leaning into Ahsan’s side, the asari sighed contently and said, “You said you were bringing a group of young high school and college aged kids my way, but you didn’t say they’d be such enjoyable company.”

“That’s a first.”  Morgana mused as he locked eyes with Ryuji.  “It seems your vulgar behavior is somehow charming for a change.  Who woulda guessed?”

“Can it you mangy feline.”  Ryuji growled back as he leaned close, sparks flying between them as they tried to stare the other down.

“Do I need to separate you two?”  Sojiro asked as the elevator door opened at last, allowing the adults to disembark as he sighed, noting the confused look on Nia’ri’s face.  “Yes, he’s talking to a cat, you get used to it after a while.”

“Is this one of those things I’m better off not knowing?”

“Honestly?  Probably.  But he’s not crazy, although trust me, I’m aware of how it looks.”  Sojiro replied as he fell in step with the asari and Ahsan in turn, who merely shrugged when she looked towards him for clarification.

Finding no further explanation coming, Nia’ri sighed but cheerfully said, “I figured as much, otherwise Ahsan wouldn’t have brought you all here, just try to keep a low profile is all I ask.”

“We will uh...Miss Nia’ri?”  Haru asked, her usual training in societal norms and practices failing her for the first time in years.  Nia’ri’s reassuring smile she threw over her shoulder was a great relief to the girl though.  “I know you said that you’re not technically female, but-”

“It’s fine, and most people address asari as women regardless, so it’s not a problem.  We’ve gotten used to it after the last thousand years or so.”

“Wait, just how old are you?”  Ryuji asked before Makoto could silence him with another elbow to the stomach.  He moved just enough to the side to avoid the worst of it though.  “And watch it with the elbows Miss Student Council President.”

Chuckling at their antics, Nia’ri shrugged off the question and stated matter of factly.  “I’ll be one hundred and twenty-one in July of your calendar.”

“I take it that reaching such an age is not particularly unheard of among asari?” Yusuke asked as he looked her over.  “I have yet to spot an indication of your age.”  While he had no experience with the asari, Yusuke considered himself perceptive enough to judge a person’s age at a glance, even if he was working on a wholly human framework.  Her deep blue skin was unblemished, neither time nor or other afflictions had marked it in any shape or form.  Unlike Ahsan, her blue face was well defined and sculpted perfectly, with no visible scars or marks to speak of, but that didn’t stop him from feeling as if she were much stronger than her otherwise soft features suggested she was.

Penetrating, hazel orbs met his own gaze, but hers was an innocent curiosity even as he detected a faint edge of annoyance at where the conversation had gone.  “If I was old enough to enter the Matron stage, you’d notice a difference even with your limited experience.  I’m at what we call the Maiden stage of our life cycle.  I’m still quite young by my people’s standards, about oh….eighteen, twenty tops in your terms.  The goddess willing, I’ll be a Matriarch in about seven hundred, eight hundred years from now.”

“Over a hundred and you still seen as little more than a child?”  Yusuke immediately regretted his choice of words, but he was too late to take them back as they continued down the labyrinthine halls towards their eventual destination.

Nia’ri’s easy going smile as she spun around so she could continue to talk as she walked told them she was still immensely enjoying herself despite the slip of Yusuke’s tongue, or the subtle annoyance he’d seen in her eyes.  “That’s actually not a bad comparison.  Few people tend to take Maidens seriously, not that I can blame them.  Most of us act rather… carefree.”

“So what?” Ann muttered and shook her head. “You don’t, so they could at least listen to what you have to say… ugh, almost two hundred years in the future and nothing changed.”

“Adults are annoying like that.”  Futaba muttered despite still having her nose all but pressed into the holographic interface on her arm.

“It can get tiresome,” Nia’ri agreed but shrugged her shoulders yet again, which made them wonder if it was her go to response, “but when you have near a thousand years of experience under your belt, arrogance tends to come along for the ride no matter how supposedly wise you are.  You get used to it after a while, or you rebel and find yourself far from home.  Guess what one I chose?”

“Another rebel?” Sojiro sighed and shook his head. “I’m not even surprised anymore.”

“Don’t misunderstand me,” Nia’ri began as she slowed down her stride as she spun back the other way to face them once more, “I’m more mature than most of my fellow asari in this stage of life, but being beholden to such supposedly experienced fools wasn’t for me.  Instead of finding the nearest strip club to dance my little blue ass off as so many Maidens do, if they don’t stupidly join a mercenary group first, I ran into Ahsan and he recruited me into the Kirijo Group shortly after we got to know each other.  I might not know what’s really going on, but I don’t doubt that whatever they’re up to, they’re doing more than anyone else I can name as they try to keep things from falling apart.”

“Your trust in m-...in us, wasn’t easy to come by, I know, but I’m glad you decided to help the cause Nia’ri.”  Ahsan replied as he wrapped an arm protectively around the asari’s waist as she leaned her head against his shoulder once she fell in step with him once more.  Whatever the Phantom Thieves thoughts on them, it was clear they were quite close and that they trusted each other immensely.

Not for the first time, Akira wondered just how much Nia’ri truly knew or at least suspected even as he idly wondered just how close Ahsan and the woman were.  Her lack of a Persona didn’t mean much, after all there had been people such as Takemi, Iwai, Chihaya, and others that had figured out that he was a Phantom Thief without ever meeting a Shadow or entering the Metaverse themselves.  Not that he’d made it difficult given how quickly their respective problems had resolved themselves in short order after they had talked to him about those same individuals that were making their lives difficult.

“I see, in that case we’ll do our best to help them keeping things from falling apart.” Akira replied pleasantly and chose not to comment on the show of affection in front of him.  The heart wanted what the heart wanted, he knew that better than anyone as he glanced, briefly, towards Ann before just as quickly letting his gaze fall somewhere else.  Maybe someday, but not now, not yet.

Nia’ri’s appreciative look over her shoulder distracted him in any event as she met his gray eyes for several long moments before seeming to be satisfied in what she saw as she said, “I don’t doubt it frizzy, and here we are.  This entire stretch of hallway is ‘under maintenance’ so no one but me and Ahsan will know you’re around.  Take your pick of the rooms, but if you ever find yourself out this way again, look me up.  I’m always interested in Ahsan’s friends.”  Ahsan sighed but smiled at the less than subtle flirtatious undertone in the woman’s voice as she gently pushed her way through the crowd to hand over the keys to the six doors on either side.  “Good luck, wherever you end up from here.”

“You too.”  When their hands met, Akira smiled even as an all too familiar voice in the back of his head told him he’d gained a new Confidant in the asari before him.  Some things really hadn’t changed after all, but when everything else had turned upside down in the past few hours, it felt good to have something familiar to hold onto.  “Alright, guess we should choose our rooms for now, tomorrow is a big day after all.”

“But we traveled through time today.” Ryuji muttered almost inaudibly behind him, but offered no further complaints as he simply opened the nearest room once he had snatched the appropriate key from Akira’s fingers. “Sweet, this one got a huge bed and a bath?  Oh man, this one’s mine.”

“They all likely have the same thing moron.”  Morgana called from Akira’s shoulder, but his insult went ignored as Yusuke turned to watch Nia’ri leave.

“I feel like I’ve met someone like her before.”  He mused when he noticed the curious glances Haru and Morgana were giving him.  “While it’s highly unlikely since she’s not even human, I can’t help the feeling of deja vu.  She reminds me of someone we likely know back home.”

“We’ll probably figure it out before this is over.”  Akira assured the artist, which earned him a knowing look when Yusuke figured out what he truly meant.

“Ah I see.  She’s another of our growing network then.”  He only nodded but it was enough for Yusuke to smile in understanding as he took the offered key from Akira’s grasp.  “That makes sense I suppose.  We’d need allies in this time period as well.”

“Indeed, and I actually like her a great deal.  Nia’ri-san seems quite capable despite her apparent ‘youth’ among her own people.”  Haru said as she too took one of the offered keys before following after Makoto and her sister.  “Good night everyone!”  She called out, which was answered in similar fashion as the rest of the group split for the rest of the evening.

Akira entered his own room, Morgana still on his shoulder and closed the door behind him.  The room was dimly lit, allowing him to easily navigate while still conserving energy.  Instead of the large, inviting bed however, he made his way to the window.  A small paranoid part of himself reminded him that windows were a structural weakness that could allow others to easily spot and attack him, but he pushed that part of his psyche aside and simply enjoyed the magnificent if alien view laid out before him.  He was drawn out of his introspection when Morgana’s stomach growled, loudly.  “Say Joker, do you think we can get room service?”

“Only one way to find out I suppose.”  Akira replied, a small chuckle escaping him as he went for the door to find Ahsan.  With the setting sun at his back as it poured through the window, he couldn’t help but notice that his shadow had grown impossibly large as bird like wings sprouted from its back.  Opening the door, he nodded his head to Arsene as a wave of warmth rushed through him.  He was no longer afraid of what tomorrow might bring.

========================

 **End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _So, they are finally in the future, and met their first asari no less. Honestly wasn't sure how to make them react to everything but seriously, I figured that them totally freaking out would both be out of character and serve no purpose.  Oh don’t worry, there will be times where they’ll be conflicted and confused, but it’s not gonna happen in a single moment, especially when it was one they knew was coming thanks to Ahsan’s advanced warning and Futaba’s prying._

 **_Vergil1989:_ ** _It helps that they’ve seen some pretty strange stuff already, so aliens are a pretty low blip on most of their radars, so to speak.  That’s not to say there won’t be moments when they just stop, stare, and point at something ala Invasion of the Body Snatchers lol, but overall it’s going to take a bit more than this for them to totally lose their shit.  And as Nomad said already, they had some warning and time to prepare themselves for what was coming, even if they weren’t exactly told everything they’d encounter.  Still, I hope we got our point across well enough.  See ya next time guys and gals and before I forget, I am VERY pleasantly surprised by the multiple reviews and faves/follows we got after posting our last chapter of this.  Some of them even made us think a great deal and discuss what we’d be doing in the near future, so thank you for that._ **_Firetrail, Thepingman,_ ** _and_ **_ptl_ ** _, you guys are awesome.  ; D_

 **_Nomad-117:_ ** _Indeed, we always welcome reviews that cause us to think about some of the scenes we have already planned and how to change them for the better, so thank you for that._

 **_Vergil1989:_ ** _I am curious though what you guys might hypothesize in regards to Ahsan and Nia’ri in regards to their possible Arcanas and Ahsan’s Persona.  We have our own ideas, but I’m curious to see what you folks think after our last round of thought provoking reviews.  ; D  Either way, take care everyone and seize the day, come what may, and as Persona has always said in some way or another, be true to yourselves.  See ya and Happy Halloween!_


	6. Schooled

**Chapter 6**

**Schooled**

==============

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Roppongi District, The Ritz Carlton Hotel**

**Date:  April 14th, 2182.  Early Morning  Cloudy**

“Arisato Industries, huh?” Akira murmured as he looked over the information Ahsan had provided them with regarding the dummy company that ran the hotel, as well as where the funds the academy used originated from.  It was where they were planning to make their new lives within.  “Mitsuru wasn’t kidding about how much he meant to them all, or what he did to ensure we had a chance.”

“Indeed.”  Ahsan solemnly replied as he and the rest of the group dug into a hearty breakfast in a dining room situated below the rooftop level of the hotel.  The large skylight window allowed the morning sun to filter down, even through the heavy cloud cover.  It wasn’t enough to remove the solemn air that had fallen over the dining room however.  “The complex also features a campus for students that will eventually take up a job in our… various companies, so you shouldn't stand out once you’ve gotten yourselves acclimatized to your current situation.”

“Thank you.” Haru said and inclined her head in Ahsan’s direction. “I apologize for all the inconvenience we’ve undoubtedly caused you though.”

“As I keep saying Ms. Okumura, it’s hardly any trouble.”  Ahsan heartedly replied with a small bow of his head in turn, his renewed cheer just enough to dispel the darkening mood before it could settle further.  “You could say this is my job, helping aspiring people such as yourselves to find your path in life.  While yours is….unique in the situation involved, I’ve picked up my fair share of those who have encountered Shadows and survived, have shown the potential to do as we do and simply need a gentle push, or have come upon the power you possess on their own.  While they’re rare, even in this day and age, I’ve done dozens of these missions for the Kirijo Group, and I’ll likely do a lot more before the end.”

“How do you even find them?”  Sae asked before Makoto could as she took a measured sip of her cup of coffee Sojiro had been happy to make for her that morning.  The heady scent so early in the morning was one she had regularly savored before, especially since Sojiro was so good when it came to such things.  Even if he wasn’t intimately familiar with this time’s blends just yet, he’d still managed to make a good pot of coffee for herself and the group.

“Several of our students and agents, as well as a few allies we’ve been lucky enough to call our own, have the ability to… sense I suppose is the correct word, such things in the various worlds we have encountered.  As I understand it, they are similar to the Metaverse you are familiar with.  We’ve theorized that all of them are also interconnected with one another in a way we don’t entirely understand.” Ahsan explained patiently and nodded towards Futaba. “I believe your very own Oracle is not too dissimilar to some of them.”

“Just how many ‘other worlds’ do you even know about?”  Futaba asked as she, for that first time that morning, stopped eating or fiddling with her omni-tool long enough to actually join the conversation taking place around her.

“Oh let me think.  Between the ‘TV World’, the Metaverse, and the defunct Tartarus and its Dark Hour, I’d say we’ve encountered at least several different ‘worlds’ since we were established two hundred years ago.  All of them might be different, but they have their similarities as well.”

“I have one other question then, if you don’t mind.” Makoto began and narrowed her eyes in thought.  “But unless I’m mistaken, your students are not aware of our true identities, correct?”

“You’re right Ms. Niijima, we thought it best to involve as few people as possible. Both to prevent leaks and… well, for your own benefit.  We had some doubts that you would react well to being celebrities.” Their guide confirmed with a small nod.

“That doesn't sound so ba-”  Ryuji began.

“No, Ryuji.” Morgana cut the blond young man off with an annoyed huff. “We’re Phantom Thieves, you can't just tell that to anyone in the hopes that some girl would take enough pity on you to take you on a date.  Besides, no one likely remembers anyway.”

“I wasn’t- nevermind, damned cat.”  Ryuji trailed off angrily before he glanced towards Ahsan curiously.  “Still, Queen’s not the only one that wants to know, but just how big is this place you’re takin’ us to?”

Ahsan folded his gloved hands just in front of his chin as he appeared to get lost in thought.  When he answered though, the little, mysterious smirk on his scarred face was hard to miss.  “You’ll see soon enough my young friend.  Enjoy the mystery and the anticipation a while longer.”

“Heh, I knew there was a reason why I liked you Ahsan.”  Ann declared as she beamed openly towards their host while Ryuji pouted at having his question shot down.  Looking down towards her plate, Ann groaned as she rubbed her full belly.  “Mmmm...asari cuisine is so damn good!  Never would have thought I’d say that before yesterday, but it’s true!”

Ahsan chuckled merrily and seemed genuinely overjoyed that introducing at least one of them to something new had gone so well.  “You can thank Nia’ri for the asari delicacy you scarfed down Ms. Takamaki.  They like their seafood, but that’s to be expected since their homeworld is largely covered in water, with only large island republics and the like big enough to hold their ancient cities.”

“I will!” Ann promised with a dreamy smile, completely ignoring the questioning looks from the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Despite knowing her for years, they couldn't help but wonder how she managed to eat as much as she did. “Hopefully she’ll tell me where to get more.”

“I’m certain she will.”  Ahsan retorted dryly, clearly amused by her appetite.  A sudden ringing sound drew his attention to his omni-tool and he lowered his gaze to check the cause for it.  “Ah, it seems our ride will arrive in half an hour's time, I hope you all are able to finish up before then.”

“We will.” Akira promised him with an amused twinkle in his eyes and walked up to the man to whisper something in his ear with a mischievous grin all too visible on his face.  Despite the suspicious looks he received from those nearest to him when he walked past, Akira ignored them as he patiently waited for the older man’s response.

“Uh… I’ll see what I can do.” Ahsan muttered back, clearly confused by the request.  “Is this a side effect of your-”

“It is.”  Akira replied, cutting him off as understanding filled Ahsan’s eyes before he turned and sat back down in his vacated seat to finish up his own light breakfast.  “Trust me, it’ll help. I’ll send you the details later.”

“Alright, I’ll just add it to the list.”  Ahsan replied and, as diligent as he’d proven yesterday, noted it down on his omni-tool.  Once he was done, he returned to the meal that had been laid out between them, picking up the cup of coffee Sojiro had set down some time ago.  “And I must say, you know your way around a decent brew Mr. Sakura.”

“Thanks, and it’s just Sojiro.  Still, it’s always good to hear a positive opinion on my coffee brews.”  Sojiro replied with a little smirk on his face as he leaned back, nestled between Futaba and Akira.  “I won’t pretend to know what’s going on, I still have trouble following some of what these kids did with Yaldabaoth and the Metaverse, and I was a part of Wakaba’s research team long before Shido came along, but I have a good feeling about all this, about you, Mr. Khatri.  I just ask you don’t make me regret putting my faith in you and your group.”  The underlying threat wasn’t exactly subtle perhaps, but it wasn’t harsh either as Sojiro narrowed his eyes towards the older man.

Ahsan nodded his head gravely in response before he slowly pulled his right glove off of his hand.  When they saw the burned, scarred reddened flesh beneath, they paled slightly as he slowly turned his hand to and fro.  The burns covered both sides, and extended downward to the top of his sleeve.  It likely went down further, but it was impossible to tell at this distance.  “I know the cost of betrayal, Sojiro.  I would never put another through the same pain I’ve personally endured.  I was fortunate in that only my hands and face were scarred….but some wounds run far deeper than they appear.”

Akira’s eyes narrowed at the scars before him.  It looked a lot like fire related magic damage to him, so perhaps Ahsan had been hit by an Agi of some kind. “Can’t it be treated?  A Dia would do the trick.”  He knew from personal experience from all of the injuries they’d received over the course of their journey through the various Palaces and Mementos itself, how strong a Dia spell was when applied in a timely manner.

“No… not anymore.” Ahsan replied with a slight grimace. “And...I didn’t allow our healers to treat the burns.  What happened was just as much my fault as it was the one that chose to betray us….betray me.  They’re a reminder to be much more vigilant in the future.”

“I’m...sorry you had to endure it in the first place.”  Haru replied as she put a hand over her heart and looked down.  “But not all betrayals are done for ill intent.”

“In this case, it was, but I understand what you’re trying to say.”  Ahsan sighed heavily as he put the white glove back over his hand.  “It was many years ago now, we’ve both no doubt changed a great deal, but I fear he has likely only allowed his rage to consume him further in all this time.”  The guilt in the man’s eyes and the way he tried not to look down at the table said he truly believed he was at fault for whatever had occurred between himself and this mysterious person.

“What you gettin’ all down for?” Ryuji bluntly asked and slammed his hand down on the table, catching the attention of everyone. “Even if he’s got consumed by his anger now, it's his own damn choice.  Sure, people like to say that they weren’t at fault, that it was someone else’s fault, and who knows, maybe they’re right, but what you do afterwards? That’s all you, no one else.”

“Speaking from experience?”  Ahsan asked, even as Ann and Akira felt Ryuji’s own feelings of lingering guilt over what he’d done that had broken apart the Track Team during Kamoshida’s reign over Shujin Academy.

“That obvious, huh?”  Ryuji asked as he rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish grin appearing on his face about the same time.

“Maybe a little bit.” Ahsan admitted with a hint of amusement before he turned serious just as quickly.  “Still, you have my thanks for your kind words, I don’t know if I’m able to believe them quite yet, but I thank you nonetheless.”

“Heh, no problem.”  Ryuji replied and smirked, having won this round even though he’d been happy to give a little friendly advice to the man that had revealed far more than they’d expected with a single action.  “‘Sides, you’ve put up with us so far, you can’t be that bad, old man.”

“I’m not that old just yet, thank you.”  Ahsan retorted playfully, his smile returning now that the moment had passed and the mood had become light hearted once more.  “Now then, are you all ready to start your new lives?”

“More than ready Ahsan-san.”  Futaba declared as she, miraculously, deactivated her new omni-tool of her own free will before stretching her arms over her head.  “Ahhhh...good food, good friends, and a new adventure RPG to see to the end.  I couldn’t ask for more!”

“Then let’s go.”  Akira declared softly before his friends cheered their agreement.

=====================

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Tatsumi Port, Kirishima Island**

**Date:  April 14th, 2182.  Early Morning  Cloudy**

Looking out the side of the window, Akira and his friends huddled around him as their gazes fell on a fast approaching island.  He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow when he saw the large, sprawling estate facing a white, sandy beach, a dense forest behind the mansion in question.  On the western edge, he spotted a secondary complex, this one much more….unwelcoming even at this distance with the high, metallic barrier wall surroundings its perimeter, with a number of guard towers, automated turrets, and a thick, ten inch steel door.  If not for the aerial approach, he’d have never spotted it, nestled among the tall trees as it was.

“How is no one suspicious of that?” Ryuji asked and pointed at the guard towers. “Place looks like a fortress.”

“Look again.”  Ahsan challenged mysteriously.  When they did, the group could only gawk as the complex began to shimmer before nearly disappearing completely.  “Only those with our power can see it these days.  Two hundred years ago however, only the Kirijo Group ever came out this far, and while the estate grounds were a tourist attraction during the Dark Hour incident days, few people were ever allowed anywhere near the research complex.  It was so out of the way of the estate though, no one usually wound up there anyway.”

“I take it that there’s something unusual to see?”  Sae asked, and shook her head when she and Sojiro saw nothing out of the ordinary.  “First a talking cat, giant would be gods, and now invisible buildings, I’m almost afraid to ask what comes next.”

“It must be an unsettling thought.” Ahsan agreed with a smile but nodded towards the mansion. “But for now, I welcome you all to your new home.”  Seemingly right on cue, the aircraft landed with a quiet thud as it hit the landing pad, and the doors to the shuttle slid open along their tracks, allowing the early morning light to stream in.  Shielding his eyes as he climbed down, Ahsan beamed when a familiar head of blonde hair, attached to a slender young woman in a gray dress, walked towards them.  “Well, this is an unexpected surprise.  Welcome home Aigis.  I take it your trip went well?”

Getting a closer look, they could see the blonde was wearing a strange ‘headband’ attached to what at first glance looked like a pair of headphones, with a bright red ribbon tied around her neck.  Pale clear skin, a perfectly round face, and large, dark blue eyes stared intently into Ahsan’s scarred face as they hugged the moment she got close enough to wrap her slender arms around his waist and neck.

“Thank you Ahsan, and it did despite some annoyances along the way.”  Noting the group behind her old friend as they embraced warmly on the black tarmac, Aigis’s blue eyes fell upon them as she pulled away.  Akira instinctively stepped forward, and the moment they locked gazes, he felt an all too familiar power within her as she did the same.  “Two Fools in the same place like this….fate it seems has a sense of humor.”

“Labrys has a sister?” Akira asked idly and chuckled. “Just making sure, but you’re not going to break into my room and watch me sleep, are you?”

Aigis chuckled, sounding all too human to them despite her nature, but shook her head even as her cheeks turned a little redder.  “No, you needn’t worry.  I haven’t done so for many, many years.”

“That’s reassuring.” Akira noted dryly and smiled at her despite his imagination supplying him with the image of the small, blue eyed girl standing over him as he slept.  “Still, it’s nice to meet you Aigis, I have to admit, this is the first time I’ve met another Fool like this.”

“You’re not alone in the power of the Wild Card, but unless something’s changed and I’m simply behind in my data records, there are very few of us around.  A Fool seems only to appear when this reality is in need of our unique, unifying presence.”

“No pressure, right?”  Morgana stated as he popped his head over Akira’s left shoulder.

“Indeed.”  Aigis replied, surprising everyone as she answered the cat’s reply without any hesitation.

“You can understand me?!”  Gasped an astonished Morgana.

“No, but your body language and the tone of your ‘voice’ is sufficient in comprehending what you’re trying to say.”  Aigis replied matter of factly in turn.

“She can speak cat?” Ann wondered and blinked in surprise. “Woah, didn’t think I’d ever see the day someone understood Morgana without… well understanding him.”

“If it helps, I am quite fluent in dog too.” Aigis admitted with a wry grin.

“That’s awesome!”  Ryuji exclaimed and laughed.  “And here I thought we were special.”

“Considering how few people can summon a Persona, I believe we can indeed be called special.” Yusuke pointed out wryly but nonetheless nodded. “Though I suppose her having the same power as Joker as well as the ability to understand canines and felines would mean that she is even more special.”

“I take it that Ms. Kirijo has yet to return from her negotiations?” Makoto asked and looked at Aigis with a curious expression, while also getting the topic off of something so...odd.  “Or are you here to bring us to her?”

“Ahsan…”  Aigis grimaced as she looked towards them with slight suspicion and guarded concern.

“They noticed that we were rather tense themselves.”  The man in question defended himself.  “I figured it would only make it more difficult for them to trust our intentions if I tried lying to them.”

“I see,” Aigis relented as the tension that had begun to settle on her small frame disappeared almost as quickly, “but to answer your question, yes Ms. Kirijo is indeed currently absent, although last I heard, was that she had concluded the meeting with no bloodshed on either side, and is now en route to Earth.”

“I’m still unused to how casually people talk about leaving the planet.” Haru said quietly but smiled at Aigis all the same.  “But it is good to hear that she is safe, I hope we will be able to help you all.”

“Oh I don't think you need to worry about that if the stories about you all are true.”  Aigis replied matter of factly as she folded her arms loosely across her stomach.

“There’re stories?” Ryuji and Morgana simultaneously asked.

“Oh yes, many feature the heroic feline leader of the Phantom Thieves and their most powerful member Ryuji.”

“For real?” Ryuji asked giddily and even Morgana leaned forward from his perch on Akira's shoulder, seemingly salivating at the thought of being famous.

“No.”  Aigis and Ahsan replied simultaneously, one with open amusement, the other simply stated, but both shared a light laugh between them.

“Damn….and here I was hopin’ we’d get some recognition for shootin’ a god in the face.”  Ryuji groaned as he let his arms and head flop in front of him.

To his surprise, Aigis seemed to appear right in front of him a moment later, her large, dark blue eyes zeroing in on his face as he slowly straightened up.  “You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t succeeded in your own trials and tribulations.  No matter the journey, we have all earned our right to exist, no matter how unrecognized our sacrifices might be by the general population.”

“Besides, didn't you tell me that heroes in the shadows were way cooler?” Akira asked Ryuji with a raised eyebrow. “Aside from that, I think I’d rather not be well known.  Wouldn't it be weird to be recognized by people you never met before?  Doesn't sound like something I’d enjoy, especially since thieves don’t last long if they’re identified.”

“I’m honestly still not used to it.” Ann admitted with a small shrug, absently playing with one of her pigtails in mild embarrassment. “I mean it's flattering, but weird at the same time.”

“Yeah, I figured you’d know what I’m talking about.” Akira told her with an appreciative smile.  “Still, our actions have no value aside from the one we assign them, in that regard I think it is irrelevant what the general public does or doesn’t think.  As long as we know the truth, as long as even one person remembers the truth, it will be enough.  Not even death can take that from us.”

To his surprise, Aigis was the first to nod, a grave, wistful look on her face as she let her hands fall to her sides.  “Spoken honestly like a true Fool.”  Whatever memory he’d inadvertently dredged up with his little speech, he didn’t get a chance to ask as Aigis turned to Ahsan next.  “I have some errands I must attend to, but you should probably get them settled.  I’ll catch up in due course.”

“Of course Aigis.”  Ahsan replied as she silently walked away.  Only once he was sure she was gone and well out of earshot did he turn so that he was looking over his right shoulder.  “When Tartarus was destroyed for good with Nyx’s defeat, the Dark Hour faded away, taking everyone’s memories of everything that had occurred.  Only Aigis could remember for the longest time.”

“Yeesh….”  Futaba gasped, a hand just shy of covering her mouth.  “The more I hear about this Dark Hour, the more I’m glad we only had to deal with the Metaverse.  Only everyone else that wasn’t directly involved forgot all the weird stuff that happened.”

“I can’t….imagine forgetting everyone I’ve ever met since becoming a Phantom Thief.”  Haru agreed as she wrapped her arms around herself once more.  “To go back to who I once was….that is a fate worse than dying.”

“At least they were able to remember in the end.”  Yusuke stated firmly, a hand gently falling on Haru’s shoulder.  A horrible thought occurred to him a moment later and it was his turn to stand upright, his back rigid.  “Oh!  Then that means they forgot….Minato….”

“I cannot speak anymore of this.”  Ahsan said as he started towards the grand front doors of the former Kirijo family’s vacation home.  “If you want to know anything more, you’ll have to ask Aigis herself.  While she has made no desire to keep her trials a secret, there are some things only she can truly decide to share.  That of course goes for anyone.”  He added as a quick afterthought.

“An understandable compromise.”  Sae stated with a sage, understanding nod of her head.  “I wouldn’t want certain details about our own lives to become public knowledge without my and Makoto’s prior approval first.”  The death of their father came to mind immediately for both Nijimas as Ahsan stopped just in front of the front doors of the academy.

Turning his back to the door, Ahsan nodded his head sympathetically to them both.  Before he was able to say anything more, the right hand door flew open, and a black haired blur shot past, followed closely by a happily yelping golden retriever.  Laughing merrily at the sight, Ahsan smiled warmly as the dog stopped, looked over its shoulder, and gave a happy bark at seeing the older man before running back up the front steps to jump up so that its front paws were on his shoulders.  Licking his face incessantly, Ahsan laughed and tried to keep from being slobbered on.  “I missed you too Kai.”  ‘Kai’ happily barked again before Ahsan helped the dog back down to the ground, scratching between his ears as the dark haired boy just as quickly grabbed Ahsan’s leg.  “Good to see you too Adam.”  Kneeling down, the group were surprised when Ahsan signed what he’d just said before Adam’s fingers danced and flexed in a similar fashion.  Whatever he’d said, it seemed to satisfy the older man as he smiled a little wider and nodded his head before ‘saying’ something else.  Adam sighed visibly, no longer smiling, but he turned to the group, his eyes downcast as he leaned his head to the side.

The ugly, upraised, off colored scars on the side of his neck had even the mostly unflappable Sae gasping in shock.  She immediately regretted it when Adam ducked behind Ahsan’s right leg.  Reaching around him, Ahsan put a comforting hand on the young boy’s back and made soothing circles against him.  “Twelve years ago, one of our human colonies were attacked by batarian pirates.  It was one of the most violent and bloody of the raids that’s occurred, but it hasn’t been the last.  Adam’s family were enroute to Earth when their ship was intercepted six years later by a similar group of batarian pirates.  He and Kai were the only survivors because Kai refused to give up despite being beaten to an inch of his life by the time help arrived, but not before the batarians tried to surgically implant a cranial device in Adam’s skull.  The cruel cuts to his neck damaged his vocal chords, so he’s been unable to speak ever since.”

“My god.”  Sojiro gasped, echoing the rest of their thoughts with that single exclamation.

Ahsan nodded his agreement as Adam slowly peeled himself away from the man’s leg.  “He’s lucky to be alive at all, but he’s been here ever since I was sent to collect them both from an orphanage in Kyoto a few months after the attack.  Kai, true to form, made it abundantly clear he wouldn’t leave Adam’s side when I first met them.”  When a menacingly large dog appeared over the golden retriever’s body, the Phantom Thieves understood why he was not only still alive, but why he had likely manifested a Persona at all.

The spectral dog had ash black fur with glowing burning red eyes, menacingly jagged teeth in its elongated snout, and razor sharp claws extended from its large paws.  Yet despite its terror inspiring appearance, they could sense Kai’s willingness to lay down his life for Adam and those few he felt he could trust and love as he so clearly did the boy, emanating from the Persona as metallic plates extended and fused over the dog’s upper half, forming a skin tight layer of armor down to its midsection.  “Gelert, the Ever Faithful.”  Ahsan answered their unspoken question as to the identity of the Persona.

The bond between them was obvious as Kai stood protectively between them and Adam, growling menacingly low in his fur covered throat.  When Adam gently wrapped his arms around the dog’s neck, Kai quieted and offered a plaintive, mollifying whine to the twelve year old boy as his Persona faded away.  Satisfied and obviously feeling better, Adam ‘giggled’ silently as he ran off, Kai once more giving chase, but not before giving the Phantom Thieves one last, distrusting look before walking away.  A closer look as Kai wandered off, and Akira could see there was a slight limp in Kai’s back right leg, putting truth to the claim he’d fought and nearly died for Adam’s sake.

“I can’t begin to imagine it.”  Sae muttered, truly at a loss for what they’d just seen for themselves as Ahsan led the way into the large, sprawling estate belonging to the Kirijo Group.  “I’ve seen every kind of crime you can name, but that….it makes me glad I changed professions when I did, but even my distorted self would have found the thought of working for people that could harm a child like him intolerable.”

“While Adam’s hardly the only one here that has a similar story, it’s good to hear you say that Ms. Niijima.”  Ahsan replied as he waited for the others to enter the mansion before gently shutting the door behind her.

“So… this is the future that awaits us?”  Yusuke asked, disappointed with the news, and shook his head with open disgust, the rich red carpet and the stone, hard floor, the hall lined with intricately carved pillars, completely lost on him.  “Instead of enlightenment, we’re faced with slavery, and more suffering?  How… disappointing.”

“It’s not a pretty galaxy out there Mr. Kitagawa, but it could be far worse than it is.”  Ahsan replied as a weak smile began to form on his scarred face once more as he turned to the right, heading towards the large, west wing of the mansion turned academy as the sound of light hearted laughs and animated conversation reached their ears.  “Just being here is ample reason for me to remember what it is I fight for every day.”  No surprise with how many of the other students, and even a couple of the staff, greeted Ahsan with open arms and a friendly greeting as they passed in the wide hallway.

“You seem to have a large fanbase Mr. Khatri.”  Haru mused, her own soft smile making it clear she approved of what she’d seen for herself.  It didn’t hurt that everyone they passed, once they’d said their piece to Ahsan, had a friendly word for her and the rest of them, making the mostly correct assumption that they were an unusually large group of Ahsan’s rescues.  In a way, they weren’t wrong, but the overall tone and feel of the rumors that would no doubt spread about them, Akira and the others could already guess, would be far more positive this time around than they’d been back at Shujin Academy.

“They are all people that I have worked with in the past.” Ahsan replied modestly and chuckled with a self deprecating smile on his face. “When you are as old as I am, students will begin to look to you for guidance, simply because I’ve been doing this for longer than them.”

“And the fact that you undoubtedly rescued at least some of them had nothing to do with it right?” Futaba snorted skeptically and continued typing. “It's only natural to be grateful to the people that saved you, believe me I know. Sometimes that's the only reason I’m able to tolerate these guys’ antics.”

“Wow, really feeling the love here, Futaba.” Akira muttered in an attempt to sound stern though the amused twitch of his lips gave his true feelings away.

“You’re my key item, I can’t ever stay mad at you for long Joker.”  Futaba countered, having seen right through his facade.

“Uh… Key item?” Ann questioned and looked from Futaba to Akira and back, her confusion mirrored by the rest of the group. “What did I miss?”

“Gamer logic.”  Futaba said with a shrug of her shoulders.  “You wouldn’t get it.”

“That explains nothing!” Ryuji complained and gestured towards Futaba. “How am I supposed to talk to her when I can’t even understand what she’s saying half the time?”

It was too easy.  “Maybe you need a key item, too?”  Akira asked, no longer making an effort to hide his smirk as he trolled Ryuji with his utterly nonchalant delivery.

Predictably, Ryuji wasn’t happy with his response.  “That's not helping!”  He protested loudly among a bout of good natured laughter.

Sae, for her part, could only smile since it felt good to be surrounded by Makoto’s friends.  Despite not having the same power they possessed, they still treated her as if she were a part of the gang, and while their justice wasn’t one she’d pursue, she’d come to the realization that they were truly good people, one and all.  Even the ‘complicit’ Sojiro, who they clearly looked up to, was a man worthy of her respect as well, and while it made her guilty for having threatened them all while she’d been distorted, she was able to push that aside since they’d forgiven her and had done so much for her and Makoto.  And now here they were, in a time not their own, and she felt more at home here than she’d ever had in their actual home.

“Sae?”  Looking up as she saw they’d stopped in front of another set of doors some distance down the hall, Sae made a thoughtful noise as Makoto put a hand on her arm.  “You were lost in thought, everything okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.  I was just thinking there’s no place I’d rather be than here with you and the rest of the Phantom Thieves was all.”

“Yeah well, you’re stuck with us now, Ms. Pro- uh Defense attorney.” Ryuji declared jubilantly. “Better get used to it.”

“That won’t be a problem.”  Sae replied determinedly as she and Makoto entered the nearest of the dorm rooms before she let her heavy bag drop just beside the door.  With a wave of her hand over the nearby controls, she shut the door in Ryuji’s face, a thin little smirk on her pretty face the last thing he saw.

Before he knew what was going on, Ryuji was left out in the hallway as Ahsan chuckled heartedly as he walked away.  “Hey?!  What the hell guys!”  He protested and tried to open the nearest door before jumping to the next one.  “This isn’t funny!  Let me in already!”

======================

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Tatsumi Port, Kirishima Island**

**Date:  April 14th, 2182.  Early Evening  Clear**

“What’s so difficult about opening a few locks?” Morgana asked with a smug grin on his face. “Even I can do it, and I don't even have any thumbs in this form.”

“It’s not my fault!” Ryuji protested and groaned in annoyance. “Joker always opened up for us… and they are electronic now, I would have liked seeing you open it.”

“I- i’m sure I’d manage.” Morgana was quick to defend himself and whirled around to face the rest of the Phantom Thieves. “Right guys?  Right?”

“Of course Mona-chan.” Haru was quick to agree while the rest of them nodded along though it was obvious that only Noir meant it seriously.  Walking down the hall towards what Ahsan had told them would be the principal’s office, Haru was in the lead with Yusuke as the rest of them followed behind.  Having been asked to introduce themselves once they’d gotten unpacked, they led the way up to the fifth floor of the large estate, carrying on as they normally did.  “You are able to turn into a bus after all.  Given time, I’m sure you’d find a way.”

“Says you.”  Ryuji muttered just loud enough to be heard by the cat that was on Akira’s shoulder.

“Why you-”

“Ten yen say Ryuji gets his face scratched off?”  Sojiro muttered to Sae who only shook her head with a sigh.

“No bet, which is strange for me since I’d have been the first to take a gamble once upon a time.”  Sae replied.

A moment later, Morgana was soaring through the air, claws ready to cut into Ryuji only to get caught by the neck by Akira’s hand. “Play nice you two. We don’t want people to think us crazy just yet.”

“I’m afraid it’s a little late for that.”  Answered a cheerful sounding young man’s voice, a tune of some kind following in his wake as he casually waved his omni-tool covered fingers about, pausing the song mid note before he held out his free hand in the same graceful, practiced movement.  Tall and lanky, the young man was well dressed in a black suit, red cloth tie with a few Magician tarot cards decorating its front, and a pair of small, wireless earbuds hanging from his partially covered ears, his short, messy brunette locks making him appear as if he were a high school student himself rather than the man in charge.  “You must be Ahsan-senpai’s new arrivals.  Nice to meetcha folks.  I’m Principal Satonaka, but call me Akio.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Principal Satonaka.” Makoto replied with a slight bow and glared at Ryuji and Morgana to stop their antics. “We are very grateful for the opportunity to be here.”

“Can’t imagine why with Ahsan bringin’ ya folks to my doorstep.”  Akio chuckled, before he opened the simple wooden door to his private office.  “Come on in, and don’t mind the mess, I’m not the most organized person around.”

“Points for being honest!”  A voice called out from another room attached to the main office, which, despite Akio’s words, wasn’t as bad as he’d made it sound even as he chuckled towards the side room’s sole occupant.  The strange hiss as a breath was sucked in had them scratching their heads, until a rotund, dark browned….thing in a suit wandered out.  “ _Hssst_ ...you wouldn’t know how to organize your day planner, let alone keep this place running, without _hssst_ , me around Akio.”

“Oi, leave me alone you old nagger!” The principal shouted back without any malice. “I don't complain about your unusual habits now do I?”

“That’s because I don't give you any reason to complain.”  Waving one suited hand in his direction, the rotund alien showed no sign of laying off of his much taller counterpart.

“S-shut up.” Akio muttered, embarrassed, and scratched the side of his left cheek. “You’re making me look bad in front of our guests.”

“No, you manage that by yourself.”  Despite their back and forth, the brown suited individual was soon clutching its stomach and chuckling deep from its chest, the occasional hiss of air the only thing that broke up its laughter.  “But if you weren’t such a dork, my day would be so much duller.”

“Gee thanks.”  Despite still blushing brightly, Akio’s bright brown eyes shone merrily, making it clear he wouldn’t have had things any other way between them.

“You hear that Ryuji? You can get paid for being a dork, maybe you should apply here?”  Morgana asked mischievously, still dangling by his neck in Akira’s hand.

“What was that you stupid cat?”

With a sigh, Akira released Morgana and the two of them immediately began to butt heads, both figuratively and literally.  Noticing the strange looks from both Akio and his assistant, Akira merely put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders.  “You get used to it.”

“Meh, with the stories my great grandfather used to tell me about his own group of friends during their investigation days, nothing surprises me anymore.”

“Sounds like a dull life.” Akira pointed out with a small smirk. “Where’s the fun without any surprise.”

“Huh… good point.” Akio conceded and gave the Phantom Thief a thumbs up. “You’re pretty cool.  Here’s hoping you like it here.  Now, let’s get you and the rest of you registered into the system, shall we?”

“Sounds like a plan.”  Ryuji grunted as he held the cat at bay as best he could with one hand while he grinned towards Akio and flashed him a thumbs up of his own with the other.

“Can we list Ryuji as a pet?” Morgana asked loudly before returning to try and cut said blonde to ribbons.

“Forget about the cat, I’ll turn him into a stuffed toy when I’m done with him!”  Ryuji shouted back as they continued to tussle in the middle of the principal’s office.

“Can we room the two of them together?” Akira asked seriously and masterfully ignored all the looks from the rest of his friends that were questioning his sanity. “Best for them to just get it out of their system now.”

“Hey, you break it you buy it.”  The suited, short alien just to their left said as it put its hands on its sides.  “And believe me, you don’t want to be in debt to the Kirijo Group.”

“Hmm, good point.” Akira admitted before turning to his friends and gracing Ann with a smile. “Ann, would you be so kind and tell them to play nice?”

“Ugh...Alright.”  She sighed heavily before she marched over and grabbed Morgana by the scruff of his neck.  “Didn't you promise not to rile up Ryuji anymore?  The fact that you lied… it really hurt me, Morgana. Won't you behave… for me?”

“Lady Ann!  I- I apologize for my abominable behaviour.”  Morgana immediately complied and stopped trying to attack Ryuji, bowing his head in contrition at the same time.

“Good, and don't let me see it again.” She finished with a smile although her tone spoke volumes of the punishment she would inflict on the cat if he decided to bend the rules. “As for you.” With that, she turned towards Ryuji. “You really should know better!  Morgana loves to rile you up!  Why do you always take the bait you jerk!” With one last devastating glare at the two of them, she turned around to face the others and gave them a beaming smile. “All set!”

Akio merrily laughed as Ryuji tried to desperately defend himself, but it was no use since Ann wouldn’t hear his excuses.  “If nothing else, it seems you’re a pretty lively bunch.  What do you think Vala?”

“I think you’re nuts, but hey, you want to piss off Lady Kirijo when she comes back and finds her family’s estate in complete chaos, it’s your ass, Magician Boy.”  Despite his harsh reprimanding tone, Vala couldn’t keep up his act as he waddled back into his office.  He was just a few seconds too late to shut the door before he began busting into belly deep laughter once more.

“Meh, he does have a point about Amanda, she can be pretty intense when she wants to be, but I trust you’ll not raise too much trouble for me, Mr. Kurusu right?”

“Akira, but yeah, we’ll do our best to keep a low profile.”  Akira promised.

“Good to hear!  Hehe.  Something tells me this year’s going to be pretty exciting.”  Akira didn’t doubt it, especially since Akio’s cheer was infectious as he was led into the man’s office to begin registering for his future classes at the academy.

As he sat down in front of Akio’s desk though, Akira had to ask, “I never heard what this place is called.  Mind sharing?”

“Hmm?  Oh yeah, I guess with all the excitement, the finer details were likely forgotten.”  Akio chuckled again as he paused in warming up his personal terminal.  “It’s a bit of a family related story, but you’ll likely hear it before the year’s out.  This place’s been called the Narukami Academy for as long as it’s been a school when it was founded in the 21st century.”

“Don’t tell me one of your instructors are called Professor Xavier?”  Akira asked, finding the notion not entirely unbelievable.

“Nope, but I _can_ assure you that your own instructors are both unique, and pretty competent.”  Akio replied, another chuckle escaping his mouth as he let his fingers dance over the keyboard.  “And yes, before you ask, I know all about Shujin Academy’s sordid history.  No one that works for me or Amanda would _ever_ allow the shit that happened there to occur here.”  he was no longer smiling as he met Akira’s gaze.  “That someone like your Shido could get away with half as much as he did, god or no god, that’s seriously messed up on so many levels.  That his reach extended so far, to a school no less, is even worse.  I might be a goof by nature, but when it matters, I’m not shy about getting my hands dirty.  I love this place, these students, far too much to allow someone like that to corrupt everything we’ve accomplished here.”

“You’re not the only one.” Akira assured him with a cock of his head and a predatory gleam in his eyes that remained mostly hidden behind his glasses. “You’ll forgive me if I wish to build my own opinion of everything here? I’m not one to believe everything that I am told.”

“I can’t say I blame you with what I was told about your group’s past, Akira.  Between two Persona Users like us, I think we’ll get along fine.”

==========================

 **End notes:**   **_Vergil1989:_ ** _An urban legend from Wales, Gelert was the dog that’s alleged to have belonged to Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Gwynedd, a gift from King John of England. In this legend, Llywelyn returns from hunting to find his baby missing, the cradle overturned, and Gelert with a blood-smeared mouth. Believing the dog had savaged the child, Llywelyn draws his sword and kills Gelert. After the dog's dying yelp, Llywelyn hears the cries of the baby, unharmed under the cradle, along with a dead wolf which had attacked the child and been killed by Gelert. Llywelyn is overcome with remorse and buries the dog with great ceremony, but can still hear its dying yelp. After that day Llywelyn never smiles again._

_Kai means ‘Strong’ or ‘Unbreakable’ in Burmese.  After looking up the meaning, it seemed quite natural to give him a Persona to match the story woven with his master and friend, Adam.  Thus, I stumbled across Gelert, and needless to say, it was a match made in Heaven.  Kai nearly died but kept fighting until help arrived for them both, and after watching through Korumaru and the Fox’s respective Social Links, well, I’m sure I don’t have to say more than this._

_Symbolically, the armor only extends down to his midsection because Gelert, and Kai respectively, would never turn away from danger, but rather face it head on, putting themselves between those they’re trying to protect.  Not only that, but leaving their hindquarters unguarded leaves it vulnerable to slashing and piercing weapons, so to speak.  Not that this’ll become a giant game mechanic driven story or anything, but I just wanted to share my thinking on the matter was all.  ; D_

**_Nomad-117:_ ** _I- uh…. Teach me master! I mean, excellent job. I had no idea that such a story existed. You truly learn something new everyday. That said, I hope you enjoyed our latest chapter. So they’re now at school, Ryuji is gonna love that, and will soon meet the other students as well as Amanda. How everything progresses afterwards, well that’s something we’ll leave you to find out._

 **_Vergil1989:_ ** _And talk about fated, but I looked up japanese names on Google in the hopes of finding something for our Principal, and the first one that I locked on was Akio, which means literally Glorious Hero.  For those that know Persona 4 as well as we do, Yosuke Hanamura had a bit of a hero complex, both before and after awakening to his Persona.  At least after he became their Magician, Yosuke’s heroic image was much more selfless and he learned that he didn’t have to put on a brave face all the time anymore, among other things.  But aye, Nomad’s right, for now, enjoy the mystery as we further reveal more of our grand epic._

 **_Nomad-117:_ ** _And before we go any further, let us make something clear to someone that’s been complaining to us on AO3._

 _To_ **_Musical Life:_ ** _First I would like to thank you for pointing out our typos, we will strive to correct them all given time. Though I have never read any of your stories I'll simply assume that you are a competent author in your own right, so forgive me if I can't quite follow your reasoning in your later replies. Vergil’s reply about us being aware referred to the fact that we are aware of the correct spelling, a fact that is proven by previous chapters where we managed to avoid these typos._

_Shortly after you claim that you consider us to be lazy authors. An interesting conclusion to say the least. Let's look at the definition of lazy shall we? Lazy: a :disinclined to activity or exertion :not energetic or vigorous 'The lazy child tried to avoid household chores.'_

_b :encouraging inactivity or indolence 'a lazy summer day'. Essentially you claim that we did not correct these mistakes out of a desire to avoid effort of any kind._

_However, as Vergil was kind enough to point out, we missed those errors during our edits, which you were told before you deemed us lazy.  Let me try it again.  We MISSED those errors, not out of desire to avoid work, but we merely overlooked them and thus weren't even aware they existed in the first place.  Not intentionally, just to be clear on the matter.  Moving on, after_ **_Oi_ ** _pointed out that you were being harsh for no reason, you replied with and I quote: "I did point them out, they have no interest in even fixing them by how they responded. I'm done."_

_We can agree on one thing here, you did point them out. However, at no point in the entire conversation did we claim or insinuate that we are not interested in fixing them. If you wish to stop reading this story, more power to you. However, if you review and get a reply, make sure to at least read them properly. I am afraid that neither Vergil nor I have such an abundance of free-time that we can explain things more than once to you.  So, if you were to cease your purposely antagonizing remarks, I would be ever so grateful, for there is no need for them._

**_Vergil1989_ ** _:  I will say however that we’re not exactly in a hurry to go back and fix TWO, one letter mistakes.  Our main priority has, and always will be, the story first and foremost.  Going back just to satisfy someone that’s been antagonizing us isn’t going to happen, and the more you nag at us and try to provoke a response fitting your distorted and ultimately pointless expectations over an inconsequential mistake we honestly did not mean to make in the first place, the more we’ll resist your efforts.  HOWEVER, if someone_ **_kindly_ ** _points out a mistake we made, if we contradict ourselves in some fashion, a character is so out of character they might as well be in another orbit, or something to that effect and someone makes it a point to constructively criticize us, we’ll do what we can to fix our mistakes and go from there._

 _Basically, don’t be a troll and we won’t need to leave anymore of these long rants.  Thank you, and everyone else that’s been faithfully following and leaving actual_ **_constructive_ ** _and_ **_thought provoking reviews and comments_ ** _, (depending on if we’re on Fanfiction Net or AO3), we truly appreciate the efforts on your part in doing so.  Keep them coming.  But even if they don’t keep coming our way, we’ll still do our best to keep this story going to the best of our ability.  Seize the day folks._


	7. Practical Lessons

**Chapter 7**

**Practical Lessons**

=================

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, Narukami Academy**

**Date:  April 15th, 2182.  Early Morning  Sunny**

Morning ‘bell’, the Phantom Thieves found out, was not your typical alarm or musical chime.  Instead, Akio’s cheerful voice echoed throughout the estate’s halls from the public address system.  “Good morning ladies, gentlemen, and our assorted monogendered guests!  It’s a beautiful Thursday morning, the sun’s shining, the birds are singing, so wake up, get up, and get out there so we all can bask in the day’s splendor!”

 _His speeches must be really irritating for people who aren’t into getting an early start._ Akira thought idly and shrugged as he glanced at Morgana, who was still sleeping peacefully on top of his chest.  He smirked and gently pushed the cat to the side of the bed so that he could get up and get dressed for the morning, eying the new gray blazer that’d been given to him last night.  Since he was a Fool, the gray color and the large, pale blue zero on the back with the Fool’s card in its center, made sense, especially since it had turned out that the room assignments were doled out according to one’s Arcana.  No two same Arcanas were allowed to stay together, which again made sense since they tended to gravitate towards those that didn’t have the same general demeanor as themselves, at least according to Akio that had always been the case long before he’d taken over.  Akira trusted him enough to take him at his word given how long he’d been in charge of the school and its inhabitants.  That, and it helped Akira had noticed the same thing throughout his own journey thus far.

Slipping his arms into the new jacket, Akira felt a little strange stepping into another academy like this, especially with it so heavily influenced by the tarot, but for a casual observer, they’d never have a clue as to what was really going on.  They’d just think the people in charge were strangely if harmlessly eccentric.  It helped that, from past experience at least, the supernatural tended to take care of itself in regulating who was able to remember and who couldn’t once said event had played itself out.  It’d certainly been the case with Yaldabaoth and the Metaverse.

But pushing his wandering thoughts aside, Akira casually picked up the pillow from his bed and dropped it on top of Morgana.  With a loud hiss, the cat bolted out from under the heavy if soft pillow.  “What the-...Joker!”

“Come on, we don’t want to be late on our first day.  Looks like we just have to lead a normal, honest school life for the time being.”

“That’s my line!”  Morgana pouted even as he crawled his way into Akira’s bookbag as he’d done throughout their last year of school together back at Shujin.  “First you try to smother me with a pillow and now you’re stealing my advice….’sigh’....at least I taught you well.”  Morgana happily mused as he stuck his head just past the edge of the opening.  “Let’s see for ourselves if Principal Akio’s really as stand up as he claims.”

“In this case, I think we’re gonna be fine.”  Akira replied, even as he made a mental note to keep his eyes open as he exited their new room.  “That doesn’t mean we should let our guard down.”  He said just as Haru, Makoto, and Yusuke joined them followed closely by Ryuji, Ann, and Futaba.  All of them were wearing the school blazers, all of them with their respective cards, Arcanas, and numbers etched into the soft, synthetic polyester.  Passing many of their fellow students on either side, Akira only then noticed that everyone else had similar jackets as they did.  He must have been more tired and overwhelmed last night than he realized to have not noticed it before.

Seeing Sae and Sojiro hadn’t joined them though, Akira turned to look over his right shoulder towards Makoto.  “Where’s your Sis?”

“She and Sojiro have their own arrangements.  We’ll see them during lunch.”  Makoto answered to which Akira nodded his head, letting the matter drop for now.  They’d be fine in this place, and they were old enough to take care of themselves, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t worry.

While it took a little time to find their way to their first class, a general history course with one of Ahsan’s promised private tutors waiting for them, Akira nodded his head in greeting to the tall, slender, dark skinned turian that stood at rigid attention in front of an old school whiteboard.  The room was similarly old fashion and spartan in its decoration, with a row of thick leather bound books nestled neatly on a shelf just behind the professor’s desk.  Nothing was out of place here, which spoke of the turian’s discipline and control in all aspects of his life.  With how many Palaces and Mementos Shadows they’d taken apart in their time, it was impossible not to notice what made the man tick.  The only items that stuck out were model starships that hung from the ceiling, held aloft in microgravity emitters stationed strategically around the room.  While at a glance, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their placement, Joker couldn’t help but wonder if the ships were arranged in such a way as to replicate a well known battle that had taken place in the turian’s history.

He was drawn out of his examination when the man’s dual flanged voice reached his ears, drawing Akira’s gaze to him as he and the rest of the group filed past.  “Mr. Kurusu, Ms. Nijima, Ms. Sakura, Ms. Takamaki, Ms. Okumura, Mr. Kitagawa, and Mr. Sakamoto, our future track star if rumors become fact.  Welcome to History 101, the 22nd century edition.  My name is Tibertis Olymgatus.  To you however, it’ll be sir, Mr. Olymgatus, or Professor Tibertis.  Call me Oly at your own risk.”  Tibertis briefly turned his dark gray, tattooed face towards the group, one narrowed, pale blue eye falling squarely upon them as a whole before he returned to what he’d been doing as he went over notes he had likely prepared in advance on his omni-tool.

“Yeesh, this guy doesn’t mess around, does he?”  Morgana whispered as he ducked down a little lower in Akira’s bag.

Before he could sit down next to Ann, who had taken a seat at the front of the comfortably small if spartan room, Professor Olymgatus addressed him without turning around from the holographic overlay he had since pulled up against the whiteboard’s surface.  “And Mr. Kurusu, don’t think I didn’t spot the feline in your bag.”

“Oh crap!” Morgana exclaimed and retreated further into the bag in question. “Don’t let him get me.”

“It might sound strange, but he really should accompany me to the lectures, otherwise who can say what he might get up to?”  Akira answered honestly, and looked at the turian with a calculating glance.  With a sigh he decided that if he wanted them to trust him and the others, he would need to show a little trust as well. “Besides, he’ll benefit from these lectures as well.  He’s rather well read, for a cat.”

“I’m well aware he is of the Magician Arcana, that he’s...unique, even among people of your stature, but the moment I suspect you’re cheating off of each other, one or both of you will be on your ear faster than a traitor being spaced.”  The uncompromising glare he threw over one shoulder made it abundantly clear that Tibertis wasn’t messing around, and that if given a reason, he truly would take steps to have them thrown from his class.

“Fair enough.” Akira replied and gave Morgana a little nudge. “You can come out now my fearless friend.”

Morgana gulped as he slowly exited the bag and grinned sheepishly up at the turian.  He bowed his head just as quickly and slunk off towards another desk when Tibertis’s pale blue eyes narrowed to slits.  “Hehehe….I’ll be...over here.”

“Keep the meowing to a minimum and we’ll get along just fine, but don't think being a feline will spare you from my wrath if you cause a disturbance.”  Despite the harsh tone in his voice, something in the alien’s stance suggested he was also having a little fun with them as Tibertis’s long, taloned fingers pulled up an image of a very large metallic tuning fork with a glowing, dark blue center with two revolving rings encasing its strange core.  It was….strangely beautiful, especially with the sprawling starscape on either side of the device that was on display against the whiteboard.  “Given your unique circumstances, I’m going to assume you have no idea what that is.  Well, let me enlighten you.  This is a mass relay, our technology, our ship drives, everything you’ve seen since coming to this time is based around the same technology that empowers our faster than light capabilities.  Think of a mass relay as a gate, allowing one to travel between them in an instant, cutting the travel time you’d otherwise experience by a very large margin.”

“Uhm… Excuse me.” Makoto began and lifted her arm. “But wouldn’t that mean that it would still take an incredibly long time to place these mass relays around the galaxy?”

“It actually would.”  Tibertis agreed, pleasantly surprised by the insightful question as he nodded his uniquely shaped, bird like head towards Makoto.  “Luckily for us, someone else already seeded the Milky Way with an entire network of relays like these.  There are two types you should familiarize yourselves with.  The first only allows your average ship to travel from one to the next in set pathways.  The other allow you to jump to any activated relay in the network, bypassing the first type completely.  Now, you’re likely wondering why I bring this up at all.  Let me ask you a question in turn.  What holiday is coming up in only a couple months of your human calendar?”

“Armistice Day.”  Futaba smugly declared only to shrug when even Makoto could only stare at her in surprise.  “It was all some guy at dinner last night would talk about.  He had a few harsh things to say about turians though.”

“I can all too easily imagine.”  Tibertis replied, his shoulders sagging somewhat as he crossed his arms with a sigh.  “It’s unfortunately true what you’ve likely heard, we are bound by our strict military discipline and self sacrifice to our people.  It is something we are taught from a very early age to serve loyally and honorably above all other things, but despite this, we try our best to be fair and just in all of our dealings, those of us who haven’t forsaken our duty and honor to each other, at any rate.”

“We weren’t about to judge simply based on rumors Mr. Olymgatus.”  Haru was quick to explain before she asked, “but what does all this have to do with this Armistice Day?”

“It’s simple Haru.”  Makoto began as she met Tibertis’s expectant gaze, having already figured out that she was the smartest of the bunch.  “An armistice is a ceasefire.  Not a truce or a peace accord, but an end to hostilities although neither side truly gains anything out of it save for a chance to lick their wounds for an agreed upon amount of time.  Which means, if one follows the logical path accordingly, that we were at war with the turians at some point because we came into contact with them when we started to utilize these mass relays.”

“That is correct.” Tibertis acknowledged with a stiff nod. “Now, as is true of any event in history, there are two sides of the story.  On the one hand, you have my own people who adamantly claim that we’ve only been upholding the law and prevented you from breaking said law when you began to activate relays without the expected oversight of the Council or any regard to who’s space you were violating, and your people say that we attacked without provocation because of a law they had no way of knowing about.  I’ll admit that there could have been far better communication between both sides, especially since turian honor and tradition has it that we do not hide our gun ports when we approach an unknown vessel in our territory, which your people took, understandably, as an open act of aggression.  Whatever way you look at it, there was fault on both sides, but there’s one aspect few people take into consideration on either side of the argument of who was in the right.”

“You can’t talk if you can’t comprehend the other’s language.”  Futaba declared, as smug as ever before she tapped a finger against the bottom of her chin.  “But then how are you able to speak to us?”

Tibertis, surprisingly, chuckled, briefly, and did his best impression of a smirk.  “That’s an easy enough answer Ms. Sakura.  An implant called an universal translator makes such a feat, a possibility.  It took time, but not much time, for us to learn and upload your people’s language into our database of known languages and dialects, and since I have an UI, you can understand me just as I can understand you in turn.”

“Interesting, I had no idea that such technology was so readily available.” Yusuke commented and blinked in surprise. “I would have expected such a device to be reserved to the more wealthy members of society.”

“You’ll find that this time is much more equal in certain regards than you’d expect, Mr. Kitagawa, but unfortunately, there are just as many divides that have yet to be bridged.”  Tibertis let them chew that over for only a few moments before he began to hit upon another point.  It was a very engaging lesson though, and Akira couldn’t help but look forward to future history lessons with the turian, despite his readily strict demeanor.

“I have one last question Mr. Olymgatus.” Akira said and held up his hand as the class neared its conclusion.  “You mentioned that the mass relay network had been seeded throughout the galaxy, but by whom?  Or why?”

“That Mr. Kurusu is an excellent question.  The most readily accepted answer is that the protheans were the ones that built the mass relays and placed them throughout the galaxy. Many xenoarchaeologists think it was to spread their own empire further and unite it even over vast distances.  Unfortunately, the protheans have been extinct for thousands of years, and no one can agree as to why despite many popular and generally accepted theories.  As a result, we will most likely never know for certain.”

Akira’s eyes narrowed at that. _How can an entire species just disappear?  A natural disaster doesn't make much sense since it would only affect single planets, and a plague?  Quarantines should have prevented the death of everyone, if worst came to worst they could have just lived on spaceships for a time.  War? Most likely but then… who and where are the victors?_  He thought and grimaced since none of his conclusions were pleasent, to say the least, and the fact that apparently everyone used the technology the protheans had left behind didn’t sit right with him, even though he had to admit that he was likely biased no thanks to the perverted research of Wakaba Isshiki.  He had seen what could happen if people used such power without thought of the consequences or understanding what they were dealing with.  He’d have to look into this further before asking more questions of the stern turian.

Whatever the case, they left their history class some time later with more questions than answers, but it had been a truly interesting lesson despite the disturbing thoughts running through more than a few of the Phantom Thieves’ minds.  And soon enough, such thoughts were pushed from their minds anyway as they found their way to another classroom just a short distance away from their first.

Entering the room, they immediately noticed that there was a soothing scent of incense coming from the back, where an intricate bronze brazier, decorated with three asari in long, flowing robes, resided against a dark blue cloth covered altar.  The wall above held a pair of discs, about six inches wide from their center, which had several razor sharp blades attached around their circumference.  Between those, a single, slender curved sword resided, its blade partially covered by the ornate dark blue sheath it was contained within.  Even at a glance, Joker could tell they were not for mere ornamentation.  There were just visible dents in a few of the blades attached to the discs, and a scratch along the sword’s blade.  While they were old marks, he didn’t doubt they’d seen action at some point.

The rest of the room followed a similar theme, with beautiful carvings, sculptures, and even a couple of paintings decorating every shelf, table, and wall.  From what they could guess, everything had a story, and even if none of them knew what those stories were, it still set them at ease even though a few of the assorted artifacts had an alluring, almost erotic edge to them.  But it was the asari instructor herself that soon had their undivided attention as they began to take their seats.  “Welcome to Social Studies 101.”  The cheerfully warm greeting from yet another asari was a stark contrast from their turian instructor, but Akira nodded his greeting regardless once they’d sat down.  She was visibly older than Nia’ri, with a few wrinkles and splotches of faded blue around her more angular cheeks.  Her form was noticeably fuller as well, giving this particular asari a more matronly look.  Her face was still beautiful, her bright blue eyes expressive as they lit up with warmth and a hint of mischief as she nodded her crested head to them as they passed.

Unlike Tibertis, she didn’t power up any of the few devices she had about the room, instead choosing to lean her butt against the desk that was at the front of the room.  “You had to deal with old man Oly huh?”  She asked, surprising them all equally, but the asari chuckled and smirked teasingly in turn.  “Yes, he’s aware I call him that, and no, he doesn’t scare me enough for me to stop anytime soon.  Since we’re on the subject though, my name’s Seara Aovaus, but call me Seara.  I’ll be giving you all a little rundown on the various species and their position and standing in the galaxy in the coming months.”

“Uh...thanks Ms. Aovaus.”  Ryuji replied, uncertain as to how he felt with being on a first name basis with one of his teachers already.  It was a sentiment more than a few of them shared as Makoto raised an eyebrow while Haru cocked her head to the side.

“ _Seara_.”  Seara corrected Ryuji, her smirk widening in turn as she wagged a finger at him.  “And you must be Ryuji.”

“Uh… yes?” Ryuji replied uncertainly, his stance telegraphing clearly to everyone that he didn’t know how to deal with this situation.  Shaking his head, he blinked rapidly for several seconds and then glared at the ‘woman’, who was smiling just a little too openly now.  “What the hell?!  Did you just charm me or somethin’ lady?!”

“Hahaha, not exactly, but that’s not exactly wrong either.   _Everyone_ likes the asari.”  The way she said that made it plain for them all that it was an undeniable fact, at least as far as she was concerned.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”  Demanded an outraged Ann.

Ignoring the blonde’s angry outburst, Seara merely shrugged as she pushed off of the desk, her hands folded neatly behind her back.  “It’s rather simple, I didn't charm your friend as he put it, Ann, correct?”  Ann stammered out a yes before Seara continued.  “I simply used my body to get a reaction, because plainly put, every known species finds something attractive about asari.  I suppose you would know better than anyone which parts appeal to the human psyche?”  When no one immediately answered as they looked towards each other uncomfortably, Seara’s smile returned full force.  “I thought as much.  But our unique physiology, coupled with our general disposition towards trying to find a peaceful resolution to any dispute, makes us perfect for our generally accepted role in galactic politics.  Our long lives lends to incredible amounts of patience, empathy, and compassion for our fellow neighbors, which, when linked with our hundreds of years of experience, makes us natural mediators and negotiators.”

“I guess that’s….cool.”  Admitted a reluctantly intrigued Ann.  Despite her lingering annoyance, she couldn’t help but be curious as she leaned forward.  “We actually met another asari yesterday, and she had some interesting things to say.  For one, something about ‘dancing in a strip club’?”

Seara sighed but nodded knowingly, no doubt guessing what Ann was getting at.  “Like any race, we tend to have periods of rebellion against those we view as our oppressors, namely our parents.  And to make it worse, we’re actually encouraged to explore the galaxy at large, to experience as much of it as we can with the tools we’ve been given from a very young age, but most Maidens at this tender age tend to think that means they have free reign to go wild.  Either because they get into trouble and have to work off debts, or because they choose to do so freely, some decide to put our naturally attractive forms to work by taking their clothes off.  Some couple this with barely legal escort service if not outright prostitution, both to keep credits in their account and food in their bellies, but also to experience all of life’s joys.  And since we can’t become pregnant unless we choose to, well...I’m sure you can figure out the rest.”

“For real?!  I tried to ask about that yesterday, but no one answered my question!”

Ignoring Ryuji’s outburst, Yusuke answered Seara’s unspoken question.  “I might not understand the how such a thing is possible, but I can understand what this would mean for your people Ms. Aovaus.  Who wouldn’t want to enjoy such pleasures without fear of most of the associated consequences?  But this raises a question of its own, if you’ll permit me.”

“STDs, correct?”  Yusuke blushed but nodded his head to Seara’s question.  She smirked and shrugged her shoulders in response.  “It’s a two part answer actually.  For one, nearly every old STD from your time, plus a few that’s come around since, has been cured or at least there are proven ways to suppress the symptoms so that they can’t be easily spread around.  In the case of the asari however, we actually don’t need to physically participate in the act of procreation to still enjoy ourselves.”  Letting her gaze fall on Haru, Seara’s smile took on a much more serious tone as she said, “would you stand for me, Haru was it?  I need an assistant for a quick demonstration.”

“Wha-?!  Me?!  Uh….I...I don’t know about this.”  Haru stammered as her cheeks turned several shades redder even as she slowly stood away from her desk.

“Don’t worry, you simply need to relax and calm yourself.  I wouldn’t ask if there was something...underhanded about what I wish for you and the others to see.”  Seara responded softly, her voice soothing away Haru’s natural anxiety at being asked to help in whatever it was the asari had been hinting at all lesson.  Despite their own unease, their curiosity was far more piqued as Akira leaned forward with an equally expectant Morgana on one side, and a cautiously curious Ann on the other.  Even Yusuke, despite his own trepidation, couldn’t help but look intrigued as Seara reached out towards the heiress, her fingertips gently running through the girl’s light brown locks.  “Now listen to the sound of our breathing.  Slow it down, in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Match it with mine.  Feel my heart sync with yours.”  She gently grasped Haru’s left hand and put it, palm first, against her own before doing the same.  “Relax, let your thoughts drift and become still.  Let go your physical shell, reach out to the threads that bind us all, one….to another.”

As she continued to speak, motes of dark blue light began to appear between a strangely calm Haru, who seemed lost in the other woman’s gaze, and Seara, as the asari opened her eyes.  Near black, boundless pools stared back at them, but all of the woman’s attention was focused solely upon the human before her.  “Every action sends ripples across the galaxy.  Every idea must touch another mind to live.  Each emotion must mark another’s spirit.  We’re all connected, every living being united in a single, glorious existence.  Open yourself to the universe, Haru.  Embrace eternity!”

They all tensed when the motes of light flared brightly around the pair, and Haru let a startled gasp escape her lips, but when she gave no other sign of distress, the group remained where they were, if only just, which was especially true in Yusuke’s case as he stopped halfway up from leaving his desk before slowly sitting back down.  Whatever it was that was going on only lasted a few seconds, but whatever it was Haru was experiencing, it must have been….intense, because when the light died away from them both, she took a stumbling step away with Seara gently wrapping her arms around the girl as she swooned, her legs turning to jelly.  “That was….”  While it was downright bizarre to see the almost rapturous look on Haru’s face when she looked up from the asari’s shoulder, Seara’s continued gentleness and blatant compassion slowly began to put them at ease as Haru found the words that had frozen in her throat.  “I couldn’t have ever imagined you saw the world like that Seara-senpai.  It’s...a truly beautiful world view.”

“I was blessed by the goddess Athame to have been raised in a truly loving family.  My parents showed me the beauty of this galaxy from a very young age, and that our actions have meaning well beyond what I’d ever believe possible without seeing the results for myself.”  Gingerly helping her to sit down at her desk, Seara smiled as she knelt down to the group’s level while keeping one hand on Haru’s knee so she could keep hold of the asari’s gently curled fingers.  “What you just experienced, and the rest of you witnessed, was what we call the asari mind meld, the union, or in more traditional parlance, the joining.  It is, in some variations of asari culture, our most sacred and revered ability because we can share everything that we are with our partners, and vice verse.  Sensations, emotions, memories, even thoughts, it only depends on how deep the meld becomes which dictates how much is shared, and for how long.  When it was discovered we could meld with anyone, regardless of species, it greatly impacted our entire society.  I touched only the surface of your mind, as I allowed you to do the same, but even that much took its toll since it’s an intense experience for the unprepared.”

“You also guided her with memetic phrases and a meditative trance, of a sort, aiding in the synchronization of your nervous systems.  It’s the only explanation for what you’re talking about and from what I saw.”  Futaba stated as she crossed her arms over her chest.  Just as quickly, she couldn’t help but gasp loudly as a startling thought immediately followed.  “But yeesh, if that’s true, it’s no wonder your people’s so good in politics and peace keeping.  To know another’s mind like that?  I can think of a few ways that’d help with stuff like that.”

Seara nodded her head as she slowly let Haru’s hand go once she was sure the girl was fully herself again, and stood to her full height once more.  While her smile was still present, it had taken on a much more thoughtful, solemn undertone.  “While that is true, it’s also entirely possible for us to abuse our power for our own purposes.  It’s incredibly rare for that to happen since we cannot harm another during the joining without feeling the neural feedback in turn, not to mention even the most….liberal among us always warn against abusing the meld in such a fashion, but it’s still a distinct possibility.  Add on top of that, there are many who believe the melding shouldn’t be used so frivolously, to be used only for conception or equally ‘sacred’ moments.  As a result of this and our own nature during our ‘wild days’ as Maidens, and it becomes inevitable that propaganda about our promiscuity and the like gets spread around, further complicating the matter across the galaxy’s citizens.  Tell me Haru, what did you see?”  She asked suddenly, catching the group off guard, but Haru’s beatific smile was quite telling of the ‘memory’ she’d been allowed to experience.

“You were...holding your baby sister several months after your mother gave birth.  You felt….something tickle across the back of your mind, and a wave of…”  The tear that rolled down Haru’s cheek was unexpected, but she looked up suddenly, stopping them from going to her side with a firm shake of her head.  “I’m okay.”  She assured them before turning her teary eyes back to an expectant Seara  “It was love….she touched your mind without meaning to, and while it was new and innocent and unformed, she...somehow knew you were her sister, and she felt so safe in your arms and wanted you to know it.”

“It was a truly memorable experience for me, so it’s often the one I share first with those I take an interest in.”  No one doubted that as Seara wiped at her right eye with the back of her hand before going back to her desk.  “What you shared without meaning to about yourself, Haru, was no less impactful for me.  I’m just sorry you had to go through such pain before awakening to your power.”  If there was any doubt that she understood all too well what she was talking about, the appearance of a Persona silenced any of their doubts on the spot.  The Priestess Persona, for only a Priestess could be so wise and gentle in Akira’s mind, was an asari like Seara herself, but while she was quite graceful and beautiful in her own right, her Persona had a much more otherworldly allure to her movements.  The curved, elegantly curved blade on her back, and the revealing if functional robes she wore, as well as the way she seemed to ooze a focused, hunter’s confidence, ran counter to the way she looked and seemed to judge them all.  Not as enemies, but rather as if they were all equal and invaluable to the universe.

“Diathes.”  Seara explained as she turned and saw them gawking at her Persona.  “She’s a mythic hero in our ancient cultures and beliefs, one of the first of our Maidens to ever explore the whole of Thessia not long before we began to explore the stars above.”  With a perfectly graceful bow, Diathes faded back into Seara before the asari’s mischievous smirk from earlier returned.  “Now, can we please continue?”

Despite her earlier hesitation and trepidation, compounded by the ‘demonstration’ that had left Haru so visibly shaken, Ann couldn’t help but find the lecture that followed quite insightful, a feeling shared by everyone as they eventually left some time later.  It helped that Seara had given them a parting remark that left them scratching their heads.  “I can only imagine my people’s ways, as can be said of any of the races we’ve since discovered, must seem exceedingly strange and, dare I say, alien, to you and your concept of ‘normal.  But the same can be said of yourselves, to us, you’re the aliens.  Keep that in mind as you move forward.”  It was an unique experience, to be sure, but then again, traveling through time was also quite unique in its own way.  Even so, the group found themselves pleasantly perplexed by the realization Seara had given them to ponder as they made their way to their next class of the day.

But Akira couldn’t help notice that Yusuke was hovering over Haru’s shoulder while trying not to appear as if he were doing so.  He couldn’t blame him though, from what Seara herself had said, the meld was tiring, and Haru still looked a little peaked from the experience.  By the time they reached the large, backyard behind the Kirijo estate though, Haru looked far more like she’d been before.

Grinning widely, Ryuji took one look at the trails that led off into the forest on the edge of the estate and the track field some distance away, and stretched his arms wide over his head.  “Ah, now this is more like it!”

“The panoramic view of the sea just a short distance away would make for a wonderful painting.”  Mused a thoughtful Yusuke as he continued to hover over Haru’s shoulder, but when he heard someone fast approaching, Yusuke jumped back at the last second as a short tomboy of a young woman ran right past.  “What the-?!”

“Wooo….sorry I’m late!”  The yellow and red striped jacket she wore marked her as a member of the Chariot, same as Ryuji, but she looked too old to be a student as she put her hands on her hips once she’d turned to face them.  Barely coming up to Akira’s chin, the brown haired girl’s bowl cut locks didn’t go past her ears, expressive dark hazel eyes peering intently at them all equally, as if she were sizing them up for a friendly match of some kind.  “Hmm….I’m gonna take a wild guess and say you’re all the new transfers.  The cat kinda gives you away.”  She chuckled as she crossed her arms over the pale green shirt beneath her jacket as she shifted energetically from foot to foot.

Morgana, a dark blue collar wrapped around his throat, laughed heartily as he hopped onto Akira’s shoulder.  “I like her!”

“Hmm?  Did that cat….say something just now?”  The girl asked, “I didn’t actually understand it, but I can’t shake the feeling.  Those rumors goin’ around said your friend there’s more than he appears to be.”

“You got no idea.”  Ryuji muttered but grinned as he held out his hand to the woman in front of him.  “Oh, and the name’s Ryuji Sakamoto.”

“I figured.  Used to be a former track star from what I’ve heard from my idiot brother.  Oh, and the name’s Kiada Sakamoto, it’s nice to meet you Ryuji-kun.”  Kiada grasped the offered limb firmly in her small, calloused hand.

Even when he jerked backward in surprise from that bit of news, Ryuji’s hand didn’t go with him as Kiada kept hold.  “For real?!  So that means-”

“Yep, Akio’s my twin.”  Kiada replied as she turned, letting Ryuji’s hand go as she did, to the trail she’d been running just as a sweat soaked Akio puffed and wheezed his way up to the group about the same time the rest of that morning’s PE class began to assemble.  “It’s about time you got here little brother.”

“Two….minutes.  You came out...ahead….by only two minutes.”  Akio wheezed as he put his hands on his knees and tried to regain his breath.  “And I thought you said….we’d only do a couple of laps….not run the entire island obstacle course!”

“We _did_ do a couple of laps, moron, you just failed to ask how long they’d be.”  Kiada retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest again and turned away from her recovering brother with a scoff.  “It ain’t my fault you can’t keep up, old man.”

“We’re the same age, stumpy!”  Akio retorted as Kiada rounded on him in the next moment.

“Don’t call me stumpy, you lanky beanpole!”  The group wisely backed up when the rest of their classmates did as Kaida and Akio were nose to nose the next moment, yelling in the other’s face despite the noticeable height difference between them.

“Are we even sure they’re teachers?”  Asked a thoroughly confused Ryuji, to which most of the students around them murmured a mostly positive response.  “Ugh...I am so glad I never had siblings if this is a regular occurrence.”

“Watch it Ryuji.”  Makoto muttered darkly towards the blonde, who recoiled as if she were about to sucker punch him.

“You get used to it.”  Another of the students replied with a shrug of her shoulders, a dark blue blazer draped over her shoulders with a card, bearing the Death’s Arcana skull in its center, situated between a large pale blue thirteen.  “They might bicker like cats and dogs, but they’ll get over it.  I’d keep back until they’ve calmed down though.”

“Why?”  No sooner did he ask that, than Akira and the others figured out the reason when Akio and Kiada jumped away from each other with an all too familiar cry escaping them both.

“ **_PERSONA_ **!”

======================

Reach Out to the Truth P4 OST

======================

 **_BOOM_ **!  The shockwave that exploded outward as the twins’ Personas’ clashed was enough to force Akira to shield his eyes with his arm just as the twins themselves met a short distance away from their respective ‘masks’ given a physical form.  The quick barrage of kicks and punches that followed were hard to keep track, even with their extensive battle experience, but despite their shared ferocity, Akira couldn’t help but notice the wide, encompassing grins on their respective faces.  As angry as they’d been moments ago, they were clearly enjoying themselves even as they gave their mock fight their all.

Jumping away in a fast series of backflips, Kiada’s Persona hot on her heels, the tomboy shouted, “Let’s go Tomoe!”, before running full tilt right for Akio a split second later, a fierce battle cry pouring from her throat.

“Let’s dance Jiraiya!”  Akio cheered, his Persona’s long red scarf flowing behind the ninja as it shot forward like the wind itself as he charged the yellow and white clothed samurai as she brought her double bladed naginata to bear in a dizzying dance of elegant spins and slashes that were a hair's breadth away from cutting Jiraiya to ribbons.

“Should we remind them that Ms. Sakamoto has a class?”  Makoto asked uncertainly, right before she and the rest of the group had to duck when a fierce wind storm kicked up around Akio and his Persona just as a deluge of ice poured off of Kiada’s Tomoe.  Another explosion followed as the two elemental attacks canceled each other out, forcing both combatants back once more.

“If you want to get in the middle of those two, be my guest!”  Yusuke shouted as he struggled to keep himself upright with Haru faring little better at his side.

“They’re insanely strong!  I don’t need my Persona to tell me that!”  Futaba cried out just as a good sized shard of ice whizzed past Ann’s cheek moments before Akira pushed her down to the ground.  “Nice save Joker!”  Futaba cheered despite having to duck down herself about the same time.

“Th-thanks.”  Ann stammered out once he pulled back just enough so their eyes met.

He nodded his head in response before rolling off of her and jumping to his feet in the same fluid motion.  He was determined to try and get the twins’ attention before someone got hurt, but before he could take the first step, a long set of pale, statuesque fingers grasped him on the shoulder.  He froze as a wave of immense power hit him like a tsunami, his gray eyes opening wide as an eerily similar head of platinum blonde locks breezed past him, an all too familiar book tucked under her right arm.   _It can’t be...wait...that’s not Lavenza._

“Is this a family matter, or can anyone join this dance?”  The tall blonde asked, drawing the siblings’ attention simultaneously.  They had all of two seconds to visibly pale as the blonde snapped open her book in one hand just as it began to glow with pale blue light about the same time all too familiar tarot cards began to encircle the woman.  With a soft chuckle, the blonde said one word before snapping the book shut, the ominous thud as the covers shut like a pair of jaws, comparable to a death knell.  “Megidolaon.”

“Get down!”  The Death Arcana girl shrieked in alarm, but no one needed to be told twice as everyone hit the deck.  Even those who hadn’t seen this mysterious woman in her blue petticoat and black pants approach didn’t question the order, wasting no time in burying their faces in the wet, dew covered grass.

The deafening explosion that followed a split second later was all consuming as the ground violently shook and the previous shockwaves from before were dwarfed when the spell hit, blasting both Akio and Kiada head over heels several dozen feet in either direction.  When he dared to look up, Akira could see the blonde’s long mane of lustrous hair blowing majestically behind her until the power from her attack began to die down.  The silence that followed was deafening in its own right as everyone hesitantly began to stand, with the golden eyed woman making her slow, purposeful way back to the group, her gaze affixed solely on Akira’s face.

When she stopped just in front of him, Akira looked to the offered pale hand for only a moment before he grabbed ahold, and was pulled to his feet in the same instant.  She didn’t let his hand go, instead pulling him close so that her lips were right next to his right ear.  It was obvious that whatever she wanted to share was meant for him alone.  “Two hundred years have passed since my sisters, once shattered, were united by your hand, Akira Kurusu, wielder of the Wild Card.  For a being who rules over power, the chains of time are….loose, and thus, do not have the same meaning as it would for yourself.  But before we get into such topics further, allow me to introduce myself.  I am Margaret, a former resident of the Velvet Room.”

Before he knew what had happened, Margaret had since walked past so that she was just behind and to his left, her eyes trained on the group of students and his friends as they slowly peeled themselves off the ground.  “For those of you assigned to the advanced combat course, please follow me to the old research lab on the far side of the island.  There, your true potential shall be revealed through the truest path there is.  Prepare yourselves accordingly.”

=========================

 **_End Notes:_ ** **_Vergil1989:_ ** _And cue epic cliffhanger!  And also Margaret’s battle theme, just for that added kick lol._

 _Before I get too far into the notes this time, I just want to throw an immense shoutout to a fan wiki we stumbled across called_ **_Daia’s Asari Wiki_ ** _for helping us to come up with a lot of the more religion and culture aspects of the asari that you just can’t find on the ME Codex.  It might have been created by the fans, for the fans, but the information that’s there could have come right out of Mass Effect’s universe itself, it’s that detailed and lore friendly.  So for anyone looking for more asari stuff for their own stories, check out Daia’s Asari Wiki._

_As for this chapter, there’s a funny habit of some of the school lessons done in the Persona series that cleverly contain hints if not outright shout outs as to what’s coming in the plot next.  Either it’s just related to your various abilities in the TV World or the Metaverse or what have you, or the lesson is directly related to what’s coming such as the talk of politics and how Japanese government works long before you encounter Shido again, (since his threatening to sue the P5 Protag is why you get sent to the city in the first place), after moving to the city during Persona 5.  We wanted to keep a similar theme by having their various instructors speaking upon subjects that will apply to what’s coming later in some form or another.  Feel free to take a guess lol.  As for Seara, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit she and her Persona are inspired by several different sources, but the two big ones are Inara Serra of Firefly fame, and Margaery Tyrell from Game of Thrones, specifically her temperament and the way she speaks and sounds in my head anyway, in that order.  Lol damn my cognition!  Still, while I don’t have anything really specific in mind for Tibertis in a similar fashion, I’m sure if I thought about it long enough, I’d be able to think of something if Nomad doesn’t do it first._

_My favorite part of this was introducing Akio’s twin sister, everyone’s favorite meat and kung fu fanatic from Persona 4, both the vanilla and the Golden edition.  Granted, she’s her own person, separated from her ‘great grandmother’, but Kaida Satonaka isn’t to be underestimated by any means.  She’ll leave footprints all over your face, you give her sufficient reason to lol.  Having her and Akio fight like true brother and sister was just an added bonus though, hehe.  But there was always one thing that bothered myself and Nomad throughout the entirety of Persona 5.  Specifically, Morgana, being able to hide in the Protag’s desk throughout the entire year with only ONE instance where he’s called out by the teacher lol.  Oly might not be able to understand the cat, but we wanted to get out right out of the gate that people in this century WON’T be ignoring the fact there’s a cat walking around, Persona or no Persona.  We’ll likely introduce a couple of more teachers, but Seara and Oly will be two of the more regularly appearing ones for now._

_And before anyone asks, people being divided up by their Arcana is simply to encourage them to make friends and to form ‘teams’ together.  Even without Fools to unite them, bonds are still more than capable of being formed between individuals and small groups, and given the nature of Narukami Academy, which is both orphanage and school from kindergarten up to senior in high school apparently lol, is kinda the point.  It’s just a bit of trivia more than anything, but just wanted to throw that out there while I was thinking about it._

_Carpe Diem folks, and we’ll see you again before this is over.  ; D_


	8. A Study in Blue Velvet

**Chapter 8**

**A Study in Blue Velvet**

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, Narukami Academy**

**Date:  April 15th, 2182.  Late Afternoon  Sunny**

“What the- what the hell is she?!”  Ryuji groaned as he slowly pulled his hands away from the back of his head before warily looking up towards Joker.

“One who rules over power.” Akira told him as if it should have been obvious as he looked down at his friend, before offering him his hand. “Come on, up you go.”

“Leave me, man.” Ryuji moaned weakly. “I just got blown up, and the ground is so cool and soft.”  Morgana all too casually stepping on the back of his head on his way past got him moving as he jumped to his feet with a growl.  “Watch it you stupid cat!”

“Got ya movin’ didn’t it?”  Morgana countered before meeting Akira’s gaze, an all too knowing gleam in his large blue eyes.  He didn’t have to ask, and Akira didn’t have to say anything since they both knew where Margaret was from, and why she was so insanely powerful.  “Do we follow them?”  He asked once the Velvet Room attendant was out of earshot.

“I think we’d be stupid not to.”

“Ugh...somehow this doesn’t seem like a good idea, but why not?”  Makoto groaned as she and Haru peeled themselves off the grass about that time.  “Since when have we done the smart thing?”

“Never.”  Ann cheerfully stated despite her own discomfort at what they’d just witnessed.

“This was indeed most unexpected.” Yusuke agreed and looked at the freshly created crater and the two groaning figures within. “Should we help them?”

“Nah, they’ll be fine.” Another student assured them with a wicked smile. “Happens all the time.”

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”  Yusuke muttered before sticking one hand into his dark blue pants pocket.

Akira looked at his friends, checking them over for any sign of injury, but when he spotted none, he nodded.  Feeling the rush of power and exhilaration from Arsene shoot through his body, it seemed the two of them were of one mind and looked forward to testing their strength again.  “Alright guys, let’s hurry up.  This’ll be fun.”

“Did he hit his head?”  Ryuji muttered and blinked at his friend in confusion. “What's it called again?  A concussion?”

“No, I fear this is merely our leader’s natural temperament.” Yusuke corrected him resignedly.

“That’s our Joker.”  Morgana agreed with a sage nod of his head, as if it should have been self evident to the rest of them.

“Well, he did jump through a giant glass window and fall a dozen meters towards the ground.”  Futaba pointed out and pushed her glasses back up her nose.  “It’s typical showmanship behavior in his case.”

“That is true, but at least he makes it look good.”  Haru mused before shooting Akira an approving smirk at his back as they fell in behind him.  Despite their differing opinions, they’d follow him to Hell and back.  That went without question considering all they’d been through.  Looking towards the narrow forest trail Margaret had led her ‘advanced combat class’ down, Haru further stated, “Although I have to wonder if we’re getting in over our heads since we can’t manifest a Persona outside of the Metaverse.”

“Not yet at least.”  Ann replied as she caught up to Akira about that moment just as he pushed a low hanging branch out of her way.  “And I can’t help but feel like I’ve….met someone like her before.”

“You did.” Akira told her idly while keeping his voice as nonchalant as possible.  “We’ve met her little sister after all, Lavenza.”

“Yeah but that’s not what I mean.”  Scratching the back of her neck, Ann sighed and let her head drop with a defeated sigh.  “Ugh...this is all messed up!”

“Well, it’s a long story.”  Akira began before he changed his mind. “Actually… it’s not.  Lavenza got separated into two, Justine and Caroline.  We fought them and you got your memories of that event erased.”

“Wait, what?”  Makoto asked as she nimbly jumped over a mud puddle while Ryuji simply walked through it with a loud splash.

“Yeah, didn’t think it would be that easy.” Akira muttered quietly to himself.  Aloud he said, “It was a test for me, but since you are extensions of my power, you were allowed to help me… but since it was my test, you weren’t allowed to remember.”  Which was, strangely enough, a good thing for him since it meant they didn’t remember the twins expressing their love for him after it was over.  “Before you ask though, we won.”  He was quick to all too casually say in the hopes they wouldn’t think too much about it further.

“That’s good at least.”  Futaba said with a shrug of her shoulders.  “But then again, we are pretty awesome, hehe.”

“Yeah, besides god trumps… whatever they were I guess.”  Ryuji mused and scratched his cheek.

“But we do not have Personas.” Yusuke felt obliged to point out once again.  “I would assume that the coming lessons will be most taxing for us.”

“That’s true.”  Haru agreed, “but I think we need to be there all the same.”

“As strange as this’ll sound coming from me, I can’t help but agree Haru.”  Makoto replied with a nod of her head as she nimbly stepped onto a rock before stepping off of it with the same easy grace.  “Whatever secret these people have to unleashing their power in this reality, we’ll likely need it as well if we’re to succeed in whatever we were sent here to do.”

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win.“  All of them could only gawk and stare at Ryuji as he crossed his arms over his chest.  “What?  I read….sometimes.”

“That was actually pretty intelligent, especially for someone as vulgar as you Ryuji.”  Morgana congratulated him even as he insulted him in the same breath.  “Bet you can’t tell us who actually said that.”

“John F. Kennedy.”  Ryuji replied without hesitation, a very smug smirk appearing on his face as he pulled his yellow Chariot blazer tighter against his shoulders.  “He had his shit together for bein’ an old man.”

“I am both pleasantly surprised while simultaneously disappointed.” Yusuke remarked at that and sighed heavily a moment later.

“I agree, you were off to such a good start, Ryuji.” Morgana agreed with a sharp glare at the runner. “And then you had to go and ruin it.”

“How the hell did I ruin it?!”  Snapped Ryuji as he waved a fist in the cat’s direction.

“The fact that you have to ask is telling enough.” Makoto muttered in complaint and pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation.  “And would you keep it down, I thought we were trying to follow Margaret’s group?”

“If you wanted an invitation,” all of them stiffened and came to a stop as Margaret stepped out from behind a tree just as they noticed her group had kept going down the path without her, needing no guide to their destination,” all you had to do was ask, Phantom Thieves of Hearts.”

“So much for keeping a low profile.”  Ryuji muttered under his breath, not quite soft enough to go unnoticed by the blue dressed woman before them.

“Only a few people know who you truly are, but for someone who rules over power, I knew the moment you arrived in this time.  The threads of destiny that are yours cannot be so easily hidden.”  While it wasn’t exactly a straightforward answer, it at least gave an idea to how Margaret knew who they were.  Akira wasn’t all that surprised though, not with what he knew about Lavenza and the twins.  If Margaret was anything like them, then it was only logical to assume she was much more than she appeared.

“Thank you for your words of praise.” Akira replied diplomatically and bowed slightly in her direction. “As the leader of this group, I apologize for delaying your class, though we thought it better not to disturb your lecture with our bickering.”

Margaret’s little smile only widened as she gently pushed to the front.  Without needing to be told, they followed obediently as she soon took the lead at the front of her class once more.  “Your youthful energy is to be commended, but you’d be wise to save your strength for the battles to come.”  The knowing looks the rest of her class shared did little to ease their rising anxiety.  “Come, the path to greater self understanding, and the strength such understanding brings, might be fraught with peril, but it is not without its rewards.  Even failed attempts can strengthen one’s self immensely, so long as you have the resolve to keep going.”

“Alright, I’ll go first.” Akira volunteered among a storm of excited murmurs from Margaret’s class, and turned to the rest of his team. “Say something nice about me at my funeral, okay?”

“That isn’t funny!” Ann hissed at him, eyes ablaze with worry and anger at his cavalier attitude.

“Sure thing Joker.” Morgana agreed quickly. “You were the best sushi deliverer I’ve ever known.”

“Thanks, Mona.”  Akira chuckled softly in response as they continued their walk through the forest towards the research complex.

“If your demise truly were to come pass, I would be greatly saddened my friend.” Yusuke told him seriously and stared him in the eye. “I hope that you will be able to avoid such a fate.”

“I wouldn’t worry.”  One of the other students said as he crossed immense, tree trunk sized arms over his chest.  “Margaret-senpai might be insanely god like with her power, but she’s not killed anyone to date.  Seriously maimed on the other hand….well, a Diarahan takes care of near everything she can dish out.”

“That’s...reassuring.”  Yusuke replied uncertainly as he let his eyes sweep over the giant of a young man at his back.  “I take it you’ve been here a while?”

“Junior year, name’s Lukas Akihabara.”  Pointing one large thumb at himself, the dark skinned giant cracked a winning grin towards them all as keen, greenish blue eyes took them in at a glance.  African American in descent, Lukas’s blazer was a vibrant aquamarine, the Strength Arcana proudly displayed on his back.  While his left eye had an old, single scar that ran down to the top of his nose, the eye seemed undamaged, and if anything, the scar itself didn’t seem to take away from his overall handsome figure.  A light covering of black stubble covered the bottom of his chin, but otherwise everything else about him spoke of his meticulous nature.  “Me and the Death girl back at the track field are from Elysium.”  When Yusuke only raised an eyebrow in open confusion, Lukas blinked large, greenish blue eyes in surprise.  “What really?  You’ve never heard of Elysium?  The Skyllian Blitz?  The Lioness of Elysium?”  He rapidly fired off, his shock and awe increasing with every returned, confused look.

“I’m afraid that we are rather ignorant of recent events… it’s complicated.” Makoto retorted lamely and shrugged uncomfortably.  She had never liked not knowing the answer to a question.  “But I take it this Skyllian Blitz was an important event.”

Lukas wasn’t the only one that could only gape in bewilderment as most of Margaret’s students shared equally stunned looks.  “You a Tiptree girl?  ‘Cause only someone from the ass end of the Alliance colonies could not know what the Blitz was.  To sum it up for ya though, the Blitz was a huge offensive by turian and batarian raiders that tried to take the colony on Elysium.  The only reason it’s standing now is because an Alliance marine by the name of Shepard, most people call her the Lioness, rallied the colonists to protect their homes, their families, delaying the invaders long enough for reinforcements to arrive.”

“I see.” Haru quietly remarked and smiled at the other students. “Thank you for explaining so much to us, this Shepard sounds like a truly remarkable person.”

“Heh, you got no idea if you have to ask, just don’t show your cluelessness around Death girl.  Rumor is she’s a bit obsessed about Shepard.  I don’t know her well enough to say if that’s true or not, but can’t hurt to be cautious.”  Lukas offered and waved one large hand in gentle dismissal as the group finally reached their destination, the fortress Ryuji had spotted earlier filling their vision.  “And speakin’ of rumors, this is supposedly where Aigis, Labrys, and her sisters were born back in the day.  Can’t imagine how the Kirijo Group pulled that off two hundred years ago when we could barely get to the moon and back, but that’s what people say.”

“Human ingenuity is truly something beautiful and terrifying to behold.” Akira remarked calmly and glanced at the back of Margaret’s head.  She hardly slowed as the large, thick steel doors opened wide, unseen observers no doubt verifying her identification with just her unusual appearance alone, let alone the power she likely exuded with her every breath.  Following after her, Akira didn’t react as the doors shut ominously behind them, admitting them into a long, metallic hallway that split off into several directions.  “I heard a rumor as well about this place.”  Akira began as lights began to flicker to life just ahead of Margaret, giving them a clear path as to where they needed to go.  “I heard that Labrys was forced to fight her sisters to the death in this place, despite the scientists’ knowing that their creations were almost as human as we were.”

Between the shocking revelation and the dark, threatening tone to his voice, Lukas and the others could only openly stare at him while his own friends nodded in grim agreement.  “Damn….no wonder the old girl never comes down here then.”  Lukas said at last once they’d recovered from their collective shock.  “Where’d you hear that though Fool?”

“Labrys herself told us the story in an effort to convince us to join the fight.”  Haru replied gravely.  While it was only a partial truth, it was honest enough that it didn’t leave a bad taste in the heiress’s mouth just as Margaret turned to the right at the end of the hall, where a ramp led further down into the complex.  Spotting an elevator just ahead of the blue clad woman, Haru cocked her head to the side, wondering where they were going.

Before she could ask, Lukas answered the question on her lips.  “Suddenly this old combat arena Margaret-senpai uses for her class makes a lot more sense.  The place is sturdy as all hell, ‘though I suppose it’d have to be to withstand an Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon’s immense strength, even before they’d manage to manifest a Persona once they’d grown enough.  But damn, makes me sick to think people like that tortured the old girl like they did.  And for what?!”

“Power.”  Akira answered simply as they began to file into the elevator.  “They wanted power, without sacrifice, or at least not on their part.  And according to her, they didn’t even want her to be ‘too human’ lest she begin to rebel against them, and had been prepared to erase her memory after she’d begun to form her own Persona.”

“Fuck!”  Lukas hissed through clenched teeth, a sentiment shared by most of the class as he punched the side of the elevator wall.  Turning to the rest of the group, he loudly said, “This doesn’t leave this elevator.  We don’t let her know we know.”

“No worries Lukas-senpai.”  One girl, her blazer bearing the Sun Arcana and its matching number, stated with a firm nod of her head followed by a wave of similar responses from the rest of the group.

Akira chose to remain silent, content to watch them deep in thought.  He could feel the wrath bubbling within, the mere thought of what had happened in this very building calling forth rage he had seldom felt.  And Arsene responded to it in kind as he swore that his shadow now sprouted the same wings as his Persona did as a warmth washed over his being that was not natural.  The blue flames which had given birth to Arsene in Kamoshida’s castle bubbled beneath his skin, eager to lash out against such injustice and cruelty.

Before he could focus on it further though, the elevator, which had long since begun its descent, came to a stop at the bottom of the shaft.  Looking to his right hand as the door opened, Akira had to blink when he could have sworn he saw the same blue fire licking across his hand, but he was distracted when someone bumped into his back with a quick apology.  Disembarking with the rest, Akira was taken aback when they entered the immense chamber before them after passing through a set of heavy blast doors that slid aside at Margaret’s approach.  “Whoa…”

“This place is huge!”  Ann gasped as her head leaned back as far as it could to take in the large, circular chamber with its multiple floors.  The observation window against the right wall had her clenching her hands into fists as she put two and two together.  “Bastards were treating these ‘tests’ like some kind of sick show I bet.”

“Abominable.” Yusuke agreed with a sharp glare at the window himself. “To think they would merely watch while innocents were forced to murder one another… it is unforgivable.”

“The crimes committed here were truly atrocious,” Margaret agreed, her back to them as she addressed them all equally, “but it is also here that Labrys found the strength she now holds within herself.  Do not belittle her pain without remembering what she also gained here.”

“But at what cost?” Akira questioned softly and looked over the scars of old battles.  The central pillar was marked with old axe cuts, the walls had been riddled with bullet holes, and more than a few of the upper level floors had been blasted apart by rocket launchers he’d guess, but every sign of the battles fought that he saw only furthered his own outrage.  “Was it worth it?”

“Who can say for certain?  But as cruel as it may sound, what is done, is done.  You will find no answer in such thoughts, all we can do is accept the past as it happened and look to the future.”  Margaret turned to the student that had spoken and nodded her head in silent, firm agreement.

“True growth such as yours cannot be achieved without finding the strength to persevere through such adversity.  But that’s not to say suffering as what took place here should be forgotten, lest the mistakes of the past be repeated again in a never ending cycle.”  With that, Margaret lifted the heavy, dark brown volume in one hand as blue light began to glow around her evenly spaced feet.  “But enough of this, you are here to learn to fight at your full potential, and time is fleeting.  Let us see how much you’ve grown.  Lukas of the Strength Arcana, please step forward.”

“Right….”  Cracking his large, dark skinned knuckles, Lukas’s gray green orbs narrowed as he prepared himself for whatever ‘lesson’ Margaret had in mind.  When he pulled a simple metal pole from a hidden sheath at his side, Akira and the others silently observed as the pole extended to a length of seven feet before he gripped it tight in one hand.  “I’ll try to keep this entertainin’ for ya teach.”

“I always did have a weakness for these contests of ours.”  Margaret admitted, her small little smile taking on a dangerous edge as her golden eyes glowed with her immense might.  “Hold nothing back!”  She declared before jumping back as Lukas shot ahead, his staff going into a much more graceful pattern of attack than seemed possible for a man of his size.  While before it would’ve been impossible to conceive before their fights in the Metaverse, Margaret blocked and turned aside the majority of his pole swings simply by using the cards she summoned from the confines of her tome.

Dodging another of his attacks gracefully, Margaret summoned another card and for a moment they were able to make out the outline of a Persona behind her.  Akira recognized it at once, Jack Frost, the all too happy snowman.  In his possession, Jack Frost had been a valuable assistant, but he’d not been nearly strong enough in the fights that came later.  In Margaret’s possession, he shuddered to think of just how powerful the dancing snow spirit would be as cold, arctic winds kicked up around the former attendant.  “Bufu!”

Lukas must have known from past experience because he immediately tensed and threw his arms over his face, his pole held tightly in his right hand.  The shards of ice and the cold, chilling winds were far more potent than Akira remembered from the otherwise low level spell as Lukas was blown off of his feet, teeth chattering until he froze completely, ice forming a thin coat over his entire body.  “So much for making it entertaining.”  Another of the students muttered as he put a hand over his face.  “Damn it Lukas, I just lost ten credits since you didn’t last thirty seconds!”

“He’s frozen and you’re making bets?!”  Ann protested while she fervently wished for the chance to summon Hecate if for no other reason than to get Lukas back on his feet.

“It happens all the time.”  The girl with the Sun on her blazer explained as Margaret threw another spell towards Lukas before he began to rapidly thaw out.  “He’s fine.”

“Okay….shoulda dodged that.”  Lukas admitted as he flopped, his limbs spreading out in every direction with a sigh once he was able to speak again.  “Round two?”  He asked from the hard metal floor, to which Margaret chuckled softly with a shake of her head.

“I’m afraid not Lukas.  Perhaps another time.”  She offered kindly before turning her gaze to another of her class.  “Would anyone like to explain to our new guests what it is he did wrong?”

“Oh oh oh!  He hit on teacher and got served?”  A messy head of jet black hair was the first thing they saw as the young boy, barely older than Adam, cheerfully called out as he waved a hand over his head.

Margaret again smiled and chuckled a little louder this time, the image of poise and elegance otherwise, before saying, “While that  _ is  _ true Michael, I’m not against a little harmless banter before these confrontations.”

“Brute strength alone does not a Persona User make.”  Yusuke answered, his keen observation earning a number of pleasantly surprised murmurs from the rest of the class.  “While it was a valiant effort, this is where the heart is put to the test rather than the body.  As such, I believe I understand the point of these ‘contests’, as you put them, and that’s to draw out our strength of heart over our physical ability.  And since experience is all too clearly the best teacher throughout life’s journey, it makes sense that you’d prefer this method.”

“When no restrictions are placed upon the soul, the heart reveals its truth the only way it can.”  Margaret agreed with a sage nod of her head as Lukas stood and dusted himself off before stepping back to allow someone else to approach.  When her eyes fell upon Yusuke next, the artist gulped as he was singled out.  “For one who has wielded power already, you seem oddly hesitant.  Was the power of the Emperor misplaced, Yusuke Kitagawa?”

“No.”  Yusuke retorted softly, his eyes narrowed to slits as a variety of weapons appeared between them when Margaret simply snapped her fingers.  Grasping ahold of the katana that his eyes immediately fell upon, he pulled the blade partially from its sheath before sheathing it once more with a decisive click.  “Very well, let us see what you’re capable of.”

“Damn, he’s got balls of steel.”  One student exclaimed as the summoned weapons disappeared save for the one Yusuke now held against his side, his free hand just shy of grasping the hilt.

“He’s pretty cute too!”  One of the girls declared, much to Haru’s silent annoyance as she stared darkly at the offender’s back.

Despite his immense strength and speed, Akira didn’t like Yusuke’s chances against the Velvet Room attendant, especially without his Persona to augment his ability.  Still, he remained standing where he was as Yusuke, true to form, seemed to move in a white and blue blur, his katana halfway out of the sheath as he took only one step forward.  By the second, the blade was freed, and Margaret only had a split second to duck under the weapon’s razor sharp edge.

“Woah!” The spectators gasped. “He’s damn fast!”

“Don't think it will do him any good.”  Another replied to that in a bored tone. “It’s always the same, we get crushed, and she gets a workout.”

“Has anyone manifested a Persona under these conditions?”  Makoto asked, half expecting the answer to be a resounding ‘No’.  She was surprised then when several of the students revealed that they indeed had gained the power they had once used in the Metaverse.  “Huh, okay then.”

“It wasn’t easy though.”  The girl who had said Yusuke was cute replied with a humble bow of her head as her own Persona disappeared.  “We had to face some uncomfortable truths about ourselves first once we were on the verge of exhaustion, both physically and mentally.”

“No surprise.  We had to endure some pretty hard stuff to get this far.”  Ryuji muttered as he shared a knowing look with the rest of his friends.  “Still, at least we know it’s possible.”

“Well, I’d rather do it this way myself than the...other one we’ve heard about.”  Lukas muttered uncomfortably, surprising the Phantom Thieves as a visible shudder went through him.  “Facing…. _ her… _ .in her fog….I’ve heard some horror stories from those who have chosen to take the other path.”

“No one’s died with her either though Lukas-senpai.”  ‘Sun Girl’ replied, but even she looked uncomfortable at the mere mention of this mysterious woman and whatever power she held.

“Because facing your darkest thoughts given a physical form doesn’t scare you at all.”  He retorted sarcastically.  “Trust me, we’re better off gettin’ our asses kicked on the regular.”  No sooner had the words left his mouth did Yusuke get blown off his feet when Margaret smiled darkly and summoned a Zio spell right on his head.  “Speakin’ of which, you owe me ten credits, Sunny.”

“My name’s not Sunny.”  ‘Sun Girl’ muttered darkly even as she tapped at her omni-tool, transferring the credits over to the large man a moment later.

“You alright?” Ryuji asked as he stood over the groaning Yusuke.

“Do I appear to be alright?”  Yusuke asked him rhetorically, and sat up, his blue hair standing on end.  “No matter, I can move on my own.”  Standing on unsteady legs, he gladly accepted Ryuji’s offered arm.  Whatever his annoyance with the man, Yusuke nodded his thanks as he looked down, surprised that the summoned katana hadn’t already faded from his grasp now that he had lost his fight.

Looking towards the woman, she merely smiled before saying, “It’s yours, seeing as it was summoned from the sea of your soul.  I simply called it forth.”  Was all Margaret would say on the matter.

“You were really impressive, Yusuke.” Haru told him, voice filled with admiration.

“The newbie got his ass kicked… he’ll fit right in.” A voice in the background muttered somewhat humorously.

“Now then, who wishes to face me next?” Margaret asked with a sweet smile that fooled none of them.  In fact, the class fell as silent as if they were staring into the face of death itself.

“I’d like to try my luck.” Akira said and moved forward confidently.  “I can hardly expect my friends to face combat when I cower at the thought, now can I?”  Removing his glasses, Akira’s unassuming smile faded to a much more confident grin as he grabbed hold of the dagger that appeared before him.

“Spoken like a true holder of the Wild Card.”  Margaret replied, her smile widening considerably as a familiar yearning in the depths of her being flared to the surface, unbeknownst to everyone, even her current combatant.

==================================

**Margaret Theme Persona 4 Arena Ultimax OST**

==================================

Akira said nothing and merely watched her, his form unmoving as his gaze bored into her own.  At first Margaret mirrored him, but after a few moments she moved her hand to the side, opening the large grimoire, and summoned a Persona from within.  That was when he struck.  The brief moment she was exposed he shot towards her, knowing full well that he wouldn't hit her that easily.

Just as he had expected, she gracefully dodged to the side, another slash of his dagger keeping her off balance for a moment as he jumped back and avoided the electric attack that would have otherwise hit him.  The gasps from the crowd were audible over the thunderous boom of the strike, but he didn’t let it distract him as he chased the attendant down as best he could.

“Is he for real?!”  One of the other students cried out.

“He’s insane!”  Another shouted about the same time.

“He’s a Fool.”  The nonchalant shrug of Lukas’s broad shoulders made it clear it should have been obvious to everyone why Akira was so capable.  “He holds the potential to do far more than any of us put together.”

“But it is because of the strength of his friends standing at his side that makes him so strong.”  Makoto retorted while making it clear that Joker’s strength was not his own, but rather a culmination of all of them giving their all to help each other succeed.  “He’d be the first to tell you that he wouldn’t be here without us at his side, and we wouldn’t be here without him.”  The firm, agreeing remarks and comments from the rest of the group only added weight to Makoto’s claim.

Hearing all of the words around them and memorizing them for later, Akira continued to look for a possible attack angle. He found one a moment later but he waited as Margaret’s cards shot just past his head, leaving her right side open.  It could be nothing more than an attempt to lure him in.  He dodged another attack instead of closing the distance, an Agi this time.  Even as the flames shot towards him he rolled sideways, and chose to strike as he regained his feet in the same instant.

A quick slash towards her face to bring her off balance as she leaned back, a strike at her midriff which she masterfully dodged by dancing out of the way at the last moment, which was followed by another attack aimed at the centre of her chest which she barely avoided by jumping backwards.  He decided not to press the advantage, he had fought her sister after all, and what she had shown so far was nothing compared to what she could dish out.  She had long earned the right to the claim that she resided over power in his mind. He knew that if he continued this as it was, he would have no hope of achieving anything, let alone winning.  That didn’t stop him though, if anything, the seemingly impossible odds only motivated him further.

_ That could work. _ He mused as an idea shot through his mind, knowing full well that Makoto would very much protest to the tactic he was currently entertaining.  It was risky, and this was his first time doing this so his odds were even worse, but at this point he doubted he would win anyway, not that he had expected himself to achieve such a feat.

A confident smile made its way upon his face when he charged despite his doubts, rolling out of the way of a wind based attack.  He jumped back up and made an overhead strike with his knife, just as the grimoire came up to block his attack, as he had expected, thus he passed his knife from his right hand to his left, striking from the side instead from the top.  Margaret barely managed to avoid his sudden strike though her face never changed from the calm and collected mask she presented them with.

He could see another ice based Persona flicker to life behind her and closed the distance within a heartbeat.  She couldn't use attacks with an area of effect if he kept close to her, otherwise she would end up hitting herself as well as him.  He grinned as she began to retaliate with her own physical attacks, her summoned cards lashing out at him from impossible angles.  Blood pounding in his ears, the two of them continued to dodge and counter each other’s attacks.

Right now he was in a critical position, especially since her Personas gave her superhuman attributes.  He couldn't allow her to corner him or grab him, or he’d be done for.  At the same time, he couldn't allow himself to fight for too long, otherwise he would make a mistake sooner or later.  Making as if to pass his weapon back to his right hand, he didn't waste time to immediately strike again.  Margaret pushed away the offending limb with another barrage of cards, leaving him wide open.

He continued to move with the momentum of her strike however, and his knife, which had never left his left hand, shot towards her head.  _ Too slow. _ He thought dissatisfied as his knife never managed to hit her before the palm of her hand nailed him right in the solar plexus and he literally flew backwards.  The air was pressed out of his lungs and he barely managed to roll back onto his feet instead of falling to the ground in a graceless heap.

Breathing heavily to fill his lungs with air they so desperately desired, he looked up at Margaret who didn't even seem winded from their heated battle.  She lifted up her left hand, a single strand of hair between two of hair fingers. “Not quite a decisive blow, but I am nonetheless impressed by your gumption. Though I must say your tactic towards the end was reckless.”

“I figured I wouldn't be able to even touch you as I am now.  So I had to introduce a new variable.”

“Some would call such a tactic bold, perhaps even foolish.”  Despite her slight reprimand, Margaret seemed far more pleased with the result as she let the strand of her hair fall to the ground between them.  


“Who dares, wins.” Akira retorted without even an ounce of shame. “It's not exactly uncommon to face stronger opponents, you just have to figure out a way to deal with them.” He turned half way round to look at his friends, his family, people he trusted without question. “If you’d ask me if I could manage this alone, I honestly wouldn't know.  But I’m not alone, and as long as we’re together we’ll find a way.”  This he said, and knew, with absolute certainty.  They had yet to find a way how, but he didn’t doubt for even a moment that they wouldn’t find it.

“And that is why I know you’ll succeed.”  Margaret stated proudly.  “You understand what it is you’re here for, even if you don’t yet know the face of your new enemy.”

“I’m glad someone gets it because I sure as Hell don’t.”  Ryuji groaned, beyond confused at this strange, unexpected turn of events.

“It means moron,” Morgana began from his spot on the floor and ignored the strange looks from the rest of the students, “that Joker knows we can’t win as we are now, but he still fought her anyway to see how far we’d need to go, and thus find a way to surpass it.  We all benefit from his recklessness, because that’s Joker in a nutshell.  Always thinking of his friends even as he puts his own life in danger.  A true gentleman thief.”

“He truly is most admirable.” A soft voice intoned from behind the gathered students who whirled around in surprise to stare at a small girl that was similar in appearance to Margaret.

“Oh god, there are more of them?!”  One student cried out in horror while the rest of them parted like the Red Sea, allowing the blue dressed girl to approach without further impediment.

“Lavenza.”  Margaret said in greeting as the current Velvet Room attendant made her way to the front of the class.

“Margaret, our master thought you’d be here.”  Lavenza replied as she soon stopped in front of the taller blonde.  “I didn’t expect you’d be testing  _ my  _ Fool so soon however.  You always did enjoy such trials by combat a little too much.”

“You’re one to talk, little sister.”  Margaret chuckled softly in turn as she ignored the excited murmurings from the class.  “I seem to recall many an instance when you went out of your way to conduct such trials yourself before you were split in two.”

“What are they talking about?”  Someone whispered though it was still clearly heard by everyone within the room.

“Who gives a crap?  That guy’s almost as nuts as they are.  I think I’m in love.”  Another student replied excitedly.

“Lavenza, how are you?”  Akira greeted her kindly as he grinned down at the young ruler of power.  “It’s been some time.”

“Indeed it has, though not as much as you might think.”  Lavenza answered with a much gentler smile on her pretty face.  “It is good to see you again, Trickster.  And hello Lady Ann, Morgana, Ryuji, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru.  It warms my heart to see you again as well.”

“What are you doing here, Lavenza?”  Margaret asked kindly as she tucked the heavy grimoire under her right arm before crossing her free arm across her chest.

“I simply came to do what I caught you doing yourself.”  Lavenza explained before looking towards Akira.  “He was my Trickster after all, I watched his growth over the time he was under my care.”

“You were always territorial, but very well.  In the future, you may test him. Though I fear for today you will have to be satisfied with visiting him.” Margaret told her sister and smiled at the small pout that adorned her face the next moment.

“Oh, you can come with us after class!”  Futaba suggested with a giggle. “You can talk to us as much as you want, and you’ll get free curry.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea.”  Margaret agreed, to Lavenza’s pleasant surprise as a gasp escaped her.  “Spending time on this side of reality would do you some good.  It’s part of the reason why I chose to leave our home after all, to facilitate my own growth of the divine spark these humans call a soul.”

“An interesting proposal.” Lavenza admitted and bowed lightly towards the assorted Phantom Thieves. “I might take you up on your kind offer in the future.”

“Seriously, what the hell are they talking about?”  The same student from before complained.

Lukas merely smirked despite his earlier complaints about the new arrivals.  “It means life at this place just got a lot more interestin’ kid.”

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, Narukami Academy**

**Date:  April 15th, 2182.  Evening   Rainy**

Despite the heavy downpour outside, the Phantom Thieves were pleasantly exhausted but smiling contently as they sat about the large dorm lounge, a number of snacks scattered about the living room table they were situated around.  Lukas and a number of his friends had decided to share the good cheer and better company, with the talk of the evening being Joker’s amazing bout against Margaret, who had never come close to being defeated before that day.  “Gotta say dude, I have to agree with what folks been sayin’, you got balls of steel to face that gal and still be standin’ afterwards.”

“Heh, thank you but it’s not a big deal.” Akira deflected the praise with a modest shrug. “I was still standing at the end, but honestly, I would have loved to simply collapse and just take a minute to breathe.”

“That blow to the gut probably didn’t help.”  Makoto stated as she sat down between him and Ryuji on the couch, with Ann sitting on Akira’s left on the arm of the couch.  “I was fairly certain she must have broken a rib with how far you flew back, Akira.”

“She didn’t, the doctors checked, but it certainly felt like it.”  Joker agreed as he rubbed at his sore side.

“Next time, dodge.” Morgana suggested from his seat on Akira’s shoulder.

“Brilliant idea, Morgana. Why didn’t I think of that?” Akira grumbled before a smirk spread across his face. “Besides who spent most of his time in the ring, running away from Zio spells?”

“I’m stuck as a cat!  What was I supposed to do?!”  Morgana cried back in alarm.

“Never seems to stop you with me.” Ryuji sing songed from the side, a smug grin splitting his face.  “That was definitely the highlight of my day.”

“I got it recorded.” Futaba said from her seat near the window and lifted her glowing omni-tool for emphasis. “Gonna send it to you later.”

“You didn’t do much better if my memory serves.”  Yusuke was quick to point out, to which Futaba responded by throwing the pillow she’d been sitting on.  He chuckled despite being pelted across his head.  “Hahaha...ow….”

“Shut up, Inari.” Futaba grumbled moodily and sunk further into her chair, knees pulled up as she darkly glared through the window in front of her.

“I still think you improved a lot since our first meeting.” Haru assured her with a beaming smile. “Back then, you couldn’t even run without collapsing after a few moments.”

“I started taking track, not my smartest move but meh, spending time around Ryuji seems to have rubbed off on me.”  Futaba admitted as she slowly let her legs drop to the ground once more.  “That and I didn’t like being that weak anymore.  It was a win win despite how sore I’d be after running the field.”

“I’ll say!” Ryuji agreed with a nod. “I was pretty surprised, Futaba.  But what really shocked me was Miss President here. Trying to pound our teacher into the ground like that.”

“Well… I did take Aikido classes… why not use them?”  Blushing brightly, Makoto sheepishly grinned as she rubbed the back of her neck before wincing in pain as her sore shoulder protested the action.  “It turns out….trying to grapple someone who can float a foot off the ground wasn’t the best idea.”

“You did better than I.” Haru admitted with a sad look on her face. “I could barely lift the axe before I got hit by her attacks.  I’ll never take my Persona for granted again after today.”

“Heh, I still say you guys are nuts.”  Lukas chuckled as he stroked the bottom of his stubble covered chin.  “But you’re the kind of crazy we could use more of around here.”

“Are there many other classes around here?”

“All told, there’s a couple hundred of us runnin’ around in this place alone, but there aren’t that many in the galaxy itself.”  Lukas replied with a quick shake of his head.  “The other classes are mostly to explain to the new guys what’s happening, outside of the usual curricular anyway.  We get a turian or something like that, way I understand it, they don’t have as much experience with stuff like this as we do.  Oh, and of course once you actually manage to manifest your Persona, you might get picked for rescue missions and stuff.”

“I see, which I suppose makes sense if humanity is not the only species that has Shadows and worse that might appear at a moment’s notice.”  Makoto mused thoughtfully.  “But honestly, I’m rather looking forward to the possibility of seeing other worlds, beyond….Tiptree I mean.”  She grimaced slightly at perpetuating the lie that had been started by the young man in front of them, but it was far easier to do so than to try and explain they were from an entirely different time period.

“I know what you mean.” Said young man was quick to agree. “I mean as far as I know, a lot of the others have traveled quite a bit, I mean me and Death girl both came from Elysium, but she took the scenic route, even got to see the Citadel.”

“The heart of galactic society?”  Futaba perked up immediately at that as Morgana curled up in her lap with a contented sigh.  “I’ve heard of the place, sounds like a pretty interestin’ tourist attraction if nothing else.”

“Good luck getting onto the Presidium if you don’t have an invitation though.”  Lukas stated as he crossed his large arms over his chest.  “Heard the place is one of the most secure places in the galaxy, for good reason since the Council rules from their grand tower.”

“One of the most secure places you say?” Akira asked innocently, eyes glimmering with dark amusement.

“Joker… no.” Morgana was quick to protest and flicked his tail against Akiras ear after jumping off of Futaba’s lap at a full run.  “We can’t go breaking into secure locations.” At the incredulous looks he received from the rest of them, he amended his statement slightly. “At least not yet.”

“Grand tower?  I take it you aren’t a fan?” Ann asked with a concerned frown on her face.

“Not really, they’re all politicians or figureheads, and neither did much when it came to my home.  When the slavers came, a single marine had to rally the planet’s populace, while she was on leave no less, and in the aftermath? The Alliance had to hunt down those responsible alone, no help from the Council whatsoever, especially during the Torfan Raids that followed.  Lot of good people ended up dead before it was over, but point is, the Council don’t deserve the power they got.”

“Hmm….”  Ann murmured as she looked towards the others, and saw that a lot of them were already thinking the same thing she was.  It was their modus operandi to go after ‘rotten adults’ that took advantage of their positions and status in society, but they needed more information before they could come to any decision on any future heists.  At least they had one source of info right in front of them though, and Ann felt fairly confident she could get something more from Lukas as she leaned forward, the interest in her pale blue eyes clear as day.  “Say Lukas-senpai, what else can you tell us?”

By now the rest of the Phantom Thieves had gone to act as they usually did in such situations, utterly unsuspecting.  Seemingly conversing with each other, listening to music and the like, nothing that would arouse suspicion. It was how they had managed to eavesdrop on so many people before, by becoming little more than part of the background.  And while Ann’s ‘charms’ were debatable at best, they were enough to get Lukas talking since he apparently wasn’t used to having such an attractive young woman pay attention to something he actually felt strongly about.  A mystery in Joker’s mind as he casually got up to grab a fresh soda from the dorm fridge since Lukas was fairly handsome and seemed genuinely interesting.  If he was much more insecure, he might have been concerned by the possibility that Ann would fall for Lukas, but he knew his own heart and he wasn’t about to lay a claim where there wasn’t one.  Besides, he trusted Ann’s own judgment, just as he trusted the rest of his friends.

“Uh… um… what would you like to know.” Lukas stammered out, clearly flustered by the sudden attention.

“As you know we all come from.. Tiptree, so if you could tell us more about the people we should pay attention to? I’d be  _ very _ grateful.”  Joker had to grimace at the over exaggeration, but somehow, Ann pulled it off without Lukas being the wiser as he blushed and grinned sheepishly in response.

“How does she do that?”  Whispered Ryuji as he joined Akira by the fridge, taking the offered soda he held out to his best friend.

“That is a mystery we’ll never solve.”  Akira replied as he grabbed another before unscrewing the lid.  “But as long as it works….”  He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Uh… well, I don't know much. I don't care much about politics… but, uh the name of the human ambassador is Donnel Udina.” Lukas offered eagerly and chuckled in embarrassment. “No idea if he’s any good though, never heard much about him.  Then, well if you meet an asari, their matriarchs are pretty well respected as their leaders, so they’re usually pretty important.  Same with a… Dalatrass I believe it’s called with the salarians, and the turian leaders are called Primarchs, though they are pretty militaristic so I guess any high ranking officer could be a big player.”

“Professor Oly certainly seems to be out of the ordinary.”  Another of the students from Lukas’s circle said from the only other couch by the central table.  “He at least acknowledges the fact both sides during the First Contact War screwed up royally.  Most of ‘em wouldn’t be so quick to say half the stuff he does during our advanced history lectures.”

“I thought I heard he was a private tutor?”  Ann asked, surprised to hear he in fact wasn’t as private as they’d been lead to believe.

“Hmmm...no, not that I’ve heard at least.”  The same student replied with a thoughtful shrug of his shoulders.  “Why?  You know somethin’ we don’t?”

“N-no, I just heard wrong I guess.”  Ann was quick to reply.

When the sound of the doors opened behind the couch, everyone facing the entrance immediately jumped to their feet while the Phantom Thieves remained clueless as to what was going on.  “This isn’t a military academy, please relax.  I’m just here to see your new friends.”  Joker perked up as he looked over his shoulder about the same time Ryuji about spit his soda all over the kitchen counter.

It was like looking into a slightly distorted mirror.  If he hadn’t known better, Akira would have said that Mitsuru had jumped two hundred years as well, except a closer look revealed that while they were nearly identical, this was this time’s Kirijo rather than Mitsuru herself.  She looked too used to this time and place for one, unlike himself and the rest of his friends, and two, he didn’t detect the same thing he had with Mitsuru during their brief encounter at Leblanc’s.  Amanda Kirijo was younger anyway, not by much, but enough that he and his friends could tell the difference as she made her way to the kitchen counter, flanked by a blonde haired ‘girl’, and Labrys who was all grins as she tried her best to keep a neutral expression on her face.

“Did you like my message?” Labrys mouthed to him with a wicked grin, one he couldn't help but return once she made was leaning against the kitchen counter.

“It got the point across.”  Joker replied with a chuckle and a nod of his head.  “I’m glad to see you seem to be doing well.”

“Oh you know, never a dull day when you serve the Kirijos.” Labrys remarked humorously. “A few death threats always help to spice up the day.”  Amanda’s ‘cough’ was met with a smirk but a nod from the 5th Generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon.  “Oi, it’s not like they don’t already know, Ahsan could never keep his mouth shut around those of his own Arcana.”

“Which was why I suggested we send someone else.”  Amanda replied but smiled despite her slight annoyance on the matter.  “But I also agreed with your recommendation  _ because  _ of that simple fact.”

“Amanda Kirijo… it’s very nice to meet you in person.” Akira told her with a small smile and offered her a soda, which she surprisingly accepted with a nod of thanks before she took a sip.  “Though I could swear I’d seen you somewhere before.” He finished cheekily.

Swallowing her mouthful, Amanda chuckled but nodded knowingly to the inside joke.  “I had a feeling you’d say something to that effect.  My great grandmother  _ did  _ say you had a sense of humor.”

“I try.” He replied modestly and gestured to an empty seat.  “Now, what can we do for you?”

“It’s actually what I can do for you that I came to discuss.  But before we get to that, there’s something you need to see.  All of you.”  She called out to the entire group, and while she didn’t specify who she meant, the Phantom Thieves wasted no time in getting to their feet before following Amanda and her escort out of the dorm despite the excited murmurings and wild speculations that would likely follow in their wake.

“What the Hell’s goin’ on now?”  Ryuji asked as they left the estate altogether, going down another forested trail with Amanda at the head of the line, flanked by the blonde haired girl and Labrys.

“You got me.”  Futaba muttered.  Looking down towards Morgana who was being uncharastically quiet, the tech geek could only blink in confusion.  Seeing his fur standing on end only increased her bewilderment.  “Hey Mona, you alright?”

“There’s….something dark out there.  It’s far away but….I can feel it.”  Amanda turned her head to look over her shoulder, but said nothing to the cat’s ominous mutterings.  “And she knows about it.”

“No surprise.”  Akira replied, but despite being lead to who knew where, he trusted they’d be alright as they followed her to the other side of the island, far from the research complex they had visited earlier.  Spotting a number of stone structures through the night covered trees, he cocked his head to the side as he thought he spotted a door of some kind in the distance, sitting aloft with nothing to support it.  “Is that-”

“Just follow, and whatever you do, don’t attack.  Don’t even draw its gaze.  You wouldn’t stand a chance if you drew attention to yourselves once we cross the threshold.”  Amanda’s firm order and the way both Labrys and her as of yet unidentified sister tensed up, as if preparing for the fight of their lives, told the rest of the group they were better off following her order to the letter.  A strange thing, considering their normal habit of rebelling against authority, but in this they resolved to heed the woman’s word as best they could.

Stopping just in front of what looked like an old, steppe stone temple, Amanda nodded her head to several other people that had since joined the group as they ascended the simple stone stairs before them.  “You arrived, good.  Are you prepared to face that which cannot be banished as things stand now?  Once you step through that door, there is no going back from what you’ll see, what we’ve been trying to stop since that day.  You know what it is I speak of.”

“We do Lady Kirijo.”  One of the group stated firmly as he stepped into the moonlight that bathed the top of the stone temple.  He was a senior, Akira was willing to bet all of this group were as they stepped into the light one by one, all of them equally determined despite facing some kind of immensely dangerous threat.  “We’ll drive it back, no matter the odds or how impossible it seems.  It’s what we’re here for after all.”

“You’re here for more than that….for more than this….but your resolve is admirable all the same.  Good luck.”  It was a simple declaration, but it seemed to further invigorate the group as their apparent leader smiled and nodded his head to Amanda’s words before he stepped forward.

“Open the way so we can take that bastard down!  You’ve done your part, it’s time for us to do ours!”  Putting his hand against the free standing stone door, at first nothing happened, but just when Akira thought the young man was talking to the air for nothing, the door slid open of its own accord with a loud scraping of stone on stone.

“Not everyone speaks to the one that stopped the calamity.”  Amanda whispered to the Phantom Thieves as the first group filed in the moment the door opened completely.  “I’m glad they at least acknowledge him directly, just as I and my own companions did when we took it on our graduating year.”

Stepping into the ‘chamber’, an all consuming blackness stretching off in every direction save for the tan stone floor at their feet, Akira and the others could only gawk at the impossibly large door in front of them.  The gods themselves couldn’t have done a better job at the monolithic set of metallic doors that seemed to encompass the edge of reality itself, six roving ‘eyes’ embedded into both doors.  But even their sheer size did little to stop his gaze from finding a single marble figure, held aloft by tendrils of barb wire, standing out against the tan metal behind him, and knowing without a doubt that this was Mituru’s friend.  That this had been Aigis’s friend, the one most responsible for stopping The Fall.  “Minato Arisato.”  Joker breathed, the enormity of their task hitting him like a truck.

“No way….then that means we’re-”  Ann began, but Morgana taking a step back had her jerking her head down to the cat in alarm.  “Wha-”

“It’s coming!”  Cried Morgana as he took another, fearful step backward, the hackles on his back standing straight up.

“Prepare yourselves!”  Amanda called to the group, but she needn’t have bothered since several flashes of light followed from the Persona Users ahead of them as a miasma of darkness began to swirl and undulate just in front of the Great Seal.  “It is the wish for the end of all that we know made into physical form.  We all might be fated to die, but this foul entity is the culmination of all of that rage, that malice, that sorrow, that negative emotion, compressed into what is forming now.  Erebus.”

As if daring to utter its name was enough to summon it, the darkness grew to gargantuan proportions, taking on the shape of a skeletal, two headed goat creature with long, jagged horns, one head upside down, its mountainous jaws facing towards the sky while the other was right side up.  Large, moon sized red eyes peered down at the assembled Persona Users with every bit of malice and hatred they had ever felt, all of it focused on a single point.  Amanda remained unmoving however as she pulled a long fencing saber from a sheath at her side as her own Persona appeared in all of its glory behind her.  “This is the fear and the desire we all possess within ourselves when it comes to our own eventual ending, but this is also where my grandmother and her allies made their last stand even as they were given a choice to undo Minato’s sacrifice in a misguided attempt to save him, despite knowing what they’d unleash if they did.  Here, at the end of all things, they acknowledged their fear of their own fated ends, and resolved to live their lives to the fullest, all while resolving to no longer wish for death even in their darkest moments.  Now, it’s your turn!”

Upon Amanda finishing her speech with a grand flourish of her blade, the senior class had only one thing to say in response.  It was a declaration of war if the Phantom Thieves had ever heard one, one aimed specifically at the manifestation of their own desired if eventual end.

**_“PERSONA!”_ **

**End Notes:** **_Vergil1989:_ ** _ Before anyone says anything, yes, I’m aware that in Persona 4 Arena or Arena Ultimax, (I don’t know which one off the top of my head lol), Elizabeth makes it a point to curb stomp Erebus about the same time every year any time he shows his ugly faces.  But in this far more advanced time, with such an established school dedicated to the growth of the heart and soul of all that reside there, it made sense to us that Elizabeth would step aside to allow us mere mortals the chance to destroy our own festering darkness.  And if they fail, she can clean up what’s left, same as usual.  ; D _

**_Nomad-117:_ ** _ Indeed, who wouldn't want to smack an evil god in the face from time to time?  That said, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, the fighting scenes are a bit difficult for me since usually you fight in round based combat, but that would hardly be appropriate in this story.  So I just had to adapt and hope that what I wrote makes sense : D. As for Erebus, you can thank my dear friend Vergil for his genius, for he knows far more about Persona then I do, so I rely a lot on him to keep me on the right track. _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  I’d say you did pretty awesomely with the Margaret stuff, which, while she was indeed holding back, I figure she’s not holding back much when throwing her students around the same arena that Labrys was doomed to destroy her own ‘sisters’ until she broke free in her own right.  There’s much more symbolically going on there than we’ve revealed at the moment, but as for me knowing more than Nomad about Persona, that’s not entirely true since I’ve had to look up a ton of stuff on Youtube and the various wiki pages lol.  I just have more time to devote than he does is all since he has more real life stuff to worry about than me.  I don’t mind though, especially since I’ve had a great deal of fun doing this story with Nomad.  Next chapter, things’ll start to move towards the actual plot, we promise, although we’ve already laid a few threads in that direction.  For now, see ya guys and gals! _


	9. Every Ending....

**Chapter 9**

**Every Ending….**

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, The Great Seal Threshold**

**Date:  Fri, April 16th, 2182.  Midnight  Clear**

**======================**

**Darkness:  P3 FES The Answer OST**

**======================**

“Th-that thing is….inside everyone?!”  Stammered out Makoto, her reddish brown eyes as wide as saucers, unable to move even as the battle began between the seniors of the academy, and Erebus.  The titanic explosions that followed weren’t enough to break her paralysis, nor the immense shockwaves from said explosions that came from the Persona Users already engaged with the creature before them.

“It...can’t be true.”  Cried an equally shaken Yusuke as his hands clenched uselessly at his sides.  Haru could barely get her mouth to work to utter her own denial as she clutched at the front of her chest, her gaze riveted to the two headed beast before them.  Its shadow blanketed over everyone equally as it lashed out at anyone that dared to get close.

Ryuji wasn’t having any of it as he defiantly waved his arm in front of him, punching the air in the same outraged, furious movement.  “The Hell is this bullshit?!  How can that…. **_thing_ ** be real and be livin’ inside of us?!” He clenched his hands into fists, though his arms wouldn’t stop shaking from what he felt as he gazed upon the creature in front of them.

“I….I don’t think denying it will help Ryuji.”  Ann declared as she looked on, her pale blue eyes just as wide and filled with terror as any of her friends, but beneath that lay something else.  “Shiho….is this what you felt when you….?”  She couldn’t finish the thought, but Akira and the others didn’t need her to.  The very air around the two headed monster was all too easy to associate with what the former volleyball player had likely felt before she jumped.  That hopelessness, the anger at being trapped with only one way out, it and more was all too prevalent around them now.

“...While I know now it was a lie, but when I still believed...my mother’s ‘suicide’ was all I could think about.  And...you know the rest.”  Futaba muttered, unable to tear her gaze away from the terrifying creature before them as shame filled tears welled in her eyes.  While those arrayed against it were giving it their all, Erebus just grinned, its presence alone a palpable sickness in the air as its every pore oozed the collective malice of every sapient creature in that day and age.  It was more than a little disheartening for Futaba, to say the least.  “How could I’ve been so blind?!” She muttered angrily.  _ I- I’ve been strengthening this… this thing! _

“It’s...something I too had considered….when my father...”  Haru admitted, her gaze turned to the ground between her feet with shame.  “It was only for a few moments….but-”

“But despite what he’d become, you still loved him, and his loss hurt immensely.”  Makoto whispered as she grasped at her arm with one hand, coming to the realization that what Amanda had said was all too true.  “The same can be said of me….when our father died.  Sae and I both took it hard in our own ways, but she had it worse because she was older, and then had to take care of me at the same time….  I wouldn’t be surprised then if that thing really  _ did  _ come out of us all.”

“We’d be stupid to deny it now.”  Akira murmured uncomfortably as he too couldn’t help but remember a time he’d had similar thoughts.  Despite having allowed himself to be captured for the sake of his friends, between being beaten, drugged, and his memory becoming fragmented as a result, he’d begun to doubt himself severely.  So much so that he’d wondered if giving up wouldn’t have been the better option.  Thankfully he hadn’t had a lot of time to give it more than a passing thought before one of the guards kicked him in the stomach, demanding his signature, but seeing Erebus and knowing what had spawned it brought everything back into sharp relief.

“It seems hope has to have a counterbalance.”  Morgana muttered uncomfortably even as his own thoughts turned inward.  “If that’s true then...it came from me too….  Having no idea who I was, worrying I was some kind of monster….maybe that wish was inside me as well?”  Yowling as another shockwave spread outward from another powerful spell slamming into Erebus, Morgana frantically clambered onto Akira’s shoulder.  “Damn it!  If only I could summon  **Mercurious** !  I wouldn’t feel so powerless!”

**==============================**

**Battle for Everyone’s Souls: Persona 3 FES OST**

**==============================**

“Even those who had gained the power to fight when this cycle began, were not immune to that same dark desire you’ve all felt.”  Turning as one, they immediately stepped aside as Aigis walked straight for Erebus.  While she didn’t stop, gently pushing past Amanda who gave her a warm smile, Labrys, who put a hand on her shoulder as she passed, and her sister, who merely grinned as Aigis made eye contact with her, the ‘girl’ continued to speak as her dress dissolved, transforming into a flak jacket that covered her chest as well as a number of thick, metallic plates where her flesh like arms and legs once resided.  “But we learned that the answer to life...is  _ not  _ death, despite how Erebus has been created time and time again.  Minato found his answer, and those that followed, putting a stop to his madness not long after, did the same.  I swore then that I’d never give into that fear again.”  Jumping into the air as one of Erebus’s immense clawed feet batted aside one of the senior class, Aigis caught the young, and admittedly tiny, asari in her arms before landing lightly on the ground several feet away.

“Th-thanks Aigis!”  Narrowing her eyes to slits despite grimacing from pain, the asari stood without assistance as she pulled a pair of heavy pistols from her belt.  “Now let’s try this again!   **_War Wraith_ ** !”  The ghostly apparition of a long dead warrior asari appeared behind the still living ‘girl’, a jagged, dented curved blade held between wrinkled, skin taut flesh over skeletal hands.  “ _ HAI _ !”  Charging forward, firing with every fleet footed step, both Persona and asari, a Hanged Man emblem on her back, ran into the fray anew.

“Watch it Arya!”  Growling defiantly, a menacingly huge, hump backed, armor covered beast of an alien summoned his own Persona that took the brunt of Erebus’s stomp.  Despite being completely hidden from view between the immensely large Persona and Erebus’s gigantic foot, they could still hear the alien’s deep throated laughter.  “Hehehehe...that all you got?!  I...am…. _ KROGAN _ !  Let’s go,  **_Kalros_ ** !  Show this pyjak why we’re of the Hierophant!”

“What the shit is that?!”  Ryuji shouted as a huge, snake like creature nearly the size of Erebus itself wrapped coil after coil around the two headed beast, a large maw of razor sharp mandibles and jagged teeth, drooling acidic saliva all over the place, including Erebus’s black hide, which sizzled and bubbled wherever its drool touched.  “For real?!  He was able to restrain it?!”

“It’s a thresher maw, the grandmother of them all.”  Another of the senior class dryly stated, as if the sight of a giant, armor plated worm, its huge maw opening up like a demonic flower, was of no consequence as she calmly stepped forward.  A quick look at her armor carapace revealed the Justice Arcana in its quiet glory.  The turian, her voice decidedly female to their ears, lifted her mandibles up into a grim smirk as she casually pulled what at first glance looked like a metallic, red and black box from the small of her back.  A few deft movements of her fingers as she nestled it up against her shoulder, and the ‘box’ quickly unfolded and extended, revealing a long barreled sniper rifle.  “Keep it steady big guy!   **_Indomitable_ ** !”  The krogan cheered happily, as if he was having the time of his life as Kalros’s coils began to tighten further around the monster while the sky, already dark, darkened further as something equally huge began to take shape above the turian.

“Whoa!”  Futaba gasped as a dreadnaught sized turian vessel appeared above the woman in question, its long, shimmering gunports open and leveled at Erebus’s right head which was currently exposed as it gnashed its teeth impotently.  The Indomitable, shaped in such a way to resemble more of a gigantic assault mech than a ship, transformed before their stunned eyes, their fear forgotten as it leveled an oversized sniper rifle towards the trapped entity, her visage a mirror of her creator’s own.  “Is that...really a Persona?!”

“It’s enormous!”  Cried an equally awed Morgana as he struggled to take in everything that was going on. His body shaking from all the different powers he was feeling clashing with one another and the residue energies of the previous attacks.

“You want our malice?!  I’ll give you all Palavan has to offer!”  Firing her gun, the sniper rifle’s thunderous boom was drowned out by her Persona as the spirit of one of her people’s proudest and strongest vessels unloaded round after round in a withering barrage that shook the ground even as Erebus’s deafening scream erupted from its maw.

“Hey Erie!  You can’t die yet, not before I give you my answer!”  Turning to the new voice, Makoto and the others could only stare dumbly as the same dark haired boy from Margaret’s class charged forward with nothing but his gauntlet covered fists leading the way.  “ **_Raphael_ ** !  Let’s share the Love!”  The archangel that appeared behind the grinning youth was all too happy to oblige as his shining sword found a new home in Erebus’s neck about the same time the boy’s fist smashed into its side, finding a big enough gap between Kalros’s coils to squeeze into.  Even more amazingly, Makoto watched as a visible dent appeared where the boy’s fist hit home, earning another deafening scream from their enemy.

“Suddenly I feel very foolish.”  Makoto chuckled softly since even the smallest of the assembled class was showing absolutely no fear in the face of such a titan.  “Literally brings new meaning to the story of David and Goliath.”  Clenching her hands into fists, Makoto slowly looked up, her eyes wet but there was new fire and life to be found there.  “....If that thing really is the manifestation of our grief, our fear of that which comes after, and worse….our desire for an end to this painful, brief existence, then maybe they have the right idea.  Personas or not, we can’t give into despair!”

“We’ve...come too far for it to hold us back now.”  Haru agreed with a firm nod of her head as she slowly let her hands fall to her sides just as a gray haired woman, a long katana at her side, ran past with a firm nod of her head towards the heiress.

“That’s why I will never again give into what this thing represents.”  The gray haired girl said as she drew her blade from its sheath about the same time a Persona appeared at her back.  “Burn him to a cinder,  **_Beelzebub_ ** !”  The Devil fly like Persona took flight as flames began to dance and swirl around both her and the creature at her back as they charged Erebus together.  The skull staff clutched tightly in its grasp flared with a similar light, burning with their shared determination and unwavering resolve.  “For my father!”  She roared as her blade sang through the air, further empowered by the Hellish fire that slammed into the deep slash she left behind.  Pouring into the open wound, the flames consumed everything in its path, burning a significant portion of Erebus’s flesh away in the next few seconds.

“To think we were about to succumb to despair just a moment before.” Yusuke said with a twitch of his lips and renewed hope gleaming in his wide, astonished gray eyes.  “How… shameful.”

“Yeah… It really pisses me off.” Ryuji agreed with a growl. “Here these guys are kicking ass and what are we doin’?!”

“Glad to see you started to get your head outta your ass blondie!”  A blue haired, leather clad young man shouted as an enormous Persona took shape behind him.  “Let’s go you giant ass bag!  Come on down, keeper of the Wheel of Fortune,  **_Norn_ ** !”  Akira recognized the large clock and its accompanying statues, the angelic figures’ wings spread wide the moment it was brought to bear as the blue haired youth brought a heavy hammer and shield crashing down upon the same slash that Raphael had left with its blade.

“How much more can that thing even take?!”  Futaba asked no one in particular, unable to help but jump for joy as it became clear that they were winning.  Somehow, they were winning and Erebus was looking rough as it continued to struggle fruitlessly against Kalros’s immense coils.  Even when a series of dark red and black explosions erupted around Erebus’s prone form, none of them backed off, choosing to endure or altogether dodge the onslaught it brought down.

When it roared to the sky, the team grinned as a whole even as an orb of red and black energy appeared between the two heads.  “Here it comes guys!  Let’s shut this thing down!”  The dark haired boy cheered as he and the rest redoubled their efforts to pummel Erebus into the dust as it frantically tried to charge some sort of powerful attack.

A thunderous crack of the blue haired giant’s hammer was the strike that broke Erebus’s concentration as the dark orb disappeared.  Not only that, but Erebus froze, as if he’d been paralyzed from the effort and its subsequent disruption.  “Hell yeah!”

Feeling their gazes drawn towards the asari from earlier, the team watched, mesmerised, as she started to glow from head to foot, her guns hanging loosely at her sides as she let her hands drop.  “When I started attending this school, I had no idea what it meant to be an asari, having been raised by humans who took me in shortly after I was..abandoned.”

“Is she-”  Ann started, but a kind, if knowing look from Akira silenced her on the spot.  She still gaped in wonder, having a feeling she knew what was coming as Arya continued uninterrupted.

“You can do it!”  Morgana cheered from Akira’s side, he too well aware of what was about to happen.  Akira merely smiled approvingly as he relaxed, knowing the end was in sight, and the darkness was about to break, giving way to a new tomorrow.

“I was such a quiet...lonely girl, even among those few asari children in my neighborhood because I couldn’t connect to them.  I was...no one, for all intents and purposes.  Then I met all of you.  In the years we’ve spent together, the good, the bad, all of it, I learned so much and we grew, both as friends...and as a family.  Seara, Amanda, Aigis, Labrys, Urdnot Razak,” the krogan smirked over one large shoulder and nodded in acknowledgment, “Vezna,” the turian simply smiled as best she could after looking away from her rifle’s scope to meet Arya’s gaze from across the way, “Michael,” the boy flashed her a thumbs up after nimbly jumping away from where he’d been pounding into Erebus’s flank, “Shiro,“ the shield and hammer wielding blue haired giant grinned widely over one large shoulder as he merrily returned to bashing Erebus’s left head in, “and Seja.”  The gray haired girl didn’t say a word either, but the look in her gray eyes said all she needed to.  “All of you went down this road with me when I had no idea who I even was, what it meant.  Facing this thing, knowing it was in me too, the fear of outliving everyone I had begun to grow close to….I am no longer afraid because you’ll always be a part of me, heart and soul.  With that in mind, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here, right now, with all of you.”

The War Wraith disappeared with the sound of shattering glass, its skeletal appearance dissolving, transforming into something new as Arya reached the penultimate moment the Phantom Thieves had already reached in their own ways.  When the light faded away, in place of the War Wraith now floated behind a serene Arya as she turned her face towards the sky, eyes closed and her lips pulled up into a warm smile, an asari in long, flowing robes that danced and flowed out behind her in an impossibly long train.  Hands held aloft, the goddess, for only such a divine being could generate the palpable aura of strength and peace she did, looked on towards Erebus with only one thing on its mind as she raised her right hand, a ball of swirling blue energy appearing in the palm of her hand.  Upon some unspoken signal from her or sensing the danger, Kalros immediately unwrapped its coils from the beast and took off about the same time Erebus was lifted off the ground, now trapped in an orb of unbreakable dark energy.

“Congratulations Arya!”  Michael cheered as Razak huffed an approving note about the same time.  “Hey Aigis, time to drop the hammer!”

“It will be my honor.”  Slowly approaching the now trapped two headed giant, Aigis raised her right hand towards Erebus.  “Years ago, I watched Minato give his life so that Nyx would never be united with you, foul creature.  ...I held his head in my lap as he seemed to slip into a deep, restful sleep, but I knew…. _ we _ knew what was going to happen next despite holding out a fervent hope it wouldn’t.  He had used up everything he was to contain the maternal being, to stop the Fall, so that  _ we  _ could live.  He found the answer to life, but I fell into a deep, dark depression for the longest time.  If not for my Shadow appearing, if not for the Abyss of Time forming beneath the dorm, and if not for having faced you for that first time two hundred years ago, I would still be lost to this day.  But you hold no more power over me, despite all those I have since left behind.  We’ve loved, we’ve laughed, we’ve cried, and I hold their memories always in my heart and my soul.  Now, it’s time we end this once more.”

Speeding towards the beast a moment later, Aigis spread her arms out wide behind her as she summoned her first Persona of the entire fight.  “ **_Orpheus Telos!_ **  Master of Strings!  Come forth from the sea of  _ my  _ soul and help us see a new dawn together!”  The partially obscured face of the red, gold, and gray Persona resembled the petrified Minato Arisato to a tee as the harp carrying being appeared behind Aigis, power welling up around them both as they neared their destination, and the culmination of all they had gone through.  “Flame Link!”  The harp began to glow with bright flames as Orpheus raised the weapon above its head about the same time Aigis’s hands opened up, revealing two high powered machine guns beneath her wrists.  Piercing the bubble, they appeared on the other side of the trapped creature, a blur of flames and smoke the only hint of their passing, before the biotic bubble detonated violently with the force of a nuclear explosion.

Picking themselves up from the ground once the impossibly large shock wave full of heat and smoke had washed over them, Akira could only see the smoke and ash that filled the sky above them.  Yet he knew that it was over, if only for the year it’d take for the monster to reform itself.  Erebus was gone, crushed by their combined might, and it was a glorious sight despite having done nothing to aid in the fight.  Looking towards Amanda, Labrys, and the blonde haired girl on her other side as the senior class began to make its way back towards them, they shared a silent nod with the other, having gotten the point of this little get together.  It didn’t mean he was happy about it, but Akira understood as he led his friends back, an air of melancholy dogging their every step.

**Sae and Makoto’s Room, a short time later….**

Finding her sister peacefully asleep over a number of datapads at a nearby desk, Makoto sighed, beyond exhausted as she fell onto one of the room’s single beds.  Pulling her legs up to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her knees and felt thick, large tears begin to run down her face.  Despite what she’d said earlier, seeing Erebus had shaken her considerably, and combined with the insanity of the last few days, it was beginning to take its toll.

How long she spent like that, curled up in a ball on her bed, she could never say as dark thoughts and regrets swirled around her head.  Facing her sister’s Shadow, the times she had allowed herself to be manipulated by the adults in her life even though their intentions had been foul and corrupt in the end, and their father’s death….all of it and more were all she could think about until the bed shifted.  She didn’t react, not until she felt an arm wrap around her side while a hand gently pulled her head against a soft, warm shoulder.  “Ssssshhhhh, it’s okay Makoto.”

“S-sis?”  Makoto asked, surprised as she looked up just enough to see her sister’s long, soft gray locks just beneath her nose.  “I-I’m sorry.  I didn’t me-”

“Don’t apologize.”  Sea ordered gently as she turned and rested her chin on the top of Makoto’s head.  “I’ve been so caught up in all that’s been going on, that I never stopped to ask how you were enduring it all.  You’ve become so strong, so self reliant, that I had begun to think you didn’t need me anymore.  An irony, considering I’ve been taking care of you for so long that, dare I say it, I had started to get a little envious with how far you’ve come.”

Despite her dour mood, Makoto managed a weak laugh before she gently shook her head against her sister’s shoulder.  “I’ll always need you, Sis.”  Clutching to the front of her pajama top, Makoto began to relax as she felt Sae smile into the top of her head as the hand at her waist began to make soft, soothing circles against her back.  It felt so much like the old days, when things were so much simpler between them that Makoto didn’t stop to think before she began to speak about what had occurred, what she was feeling, everything.

Sae bore the outpouring of emotion, knowing she needed to get it all off her chest lest it begin to fester.  It had happened to her, in a way, and Sae was determined not to let Makoto suffer as she had allowed herself to do for so long.  When she finished, Sae had to take a moment to process it all, but eventually she nodded her head before saying, “I won’t pretend to understand everything that’s occurred, but I understand one thing Makoto.  I should have been a far better sister to you.”  When she began to protest, Sae smiled endearingly but put a finger against the younger Nijima’s lips.  “Let me finish.”  When she was sure she wouldn’t be interrupted, Sae continued, “You’re right, what happened to our father….it hurt me a great deal as well, and while I can try to make excuses for it between finishing my law degree, holding down a job to support us, and taking care of you, I can’t apologize enough for not taking into consideration your own feelings.  We...both buried our grief as best we could, you with school, me with work….is it little wonder then that we could barely be in the same place without hurting each other near the end?”

“But Sae-”  Once more Makoto was silenced as Sae looked away.

“My distortion aside….what I said and did still falls on me, Makoto.  You were  _ never  _ a burden...you were and are my little sister, and I would go through Heaven and Hell to protect you, to see you succeed, to see you smile with no regrets.  Our future be damned, I’d give up every hard earned accommodation and penny I have if it meant we were truly happy with where we are as a family.”  Makoto was stunned for another reason entirely when she felt Sae’s tears fall onto their joined hands before she pulled her closer still.  “These last two years have been the best we’ve had together.  I don’t want us to go back to the way things were.”

“We won’t.”  Makoto replied, unable to get her voice above a whisper, but the promise behind those two little words was impossible to ignore.  Despite the fact they were much older than they’d been before their father died in the line of duty, they fell asleep in the other’s arms as they used to when they were kids.  It felt like the most natural thing in the world to the Nijima sisters, and despite having confronted Erebus, it was the best night’s sleep Makoto could remember in years.

**The Dorm Lounge….**

Having gotten up to use the bathroom, Sojiro was surprised to see Futaba curled up on her side on one of the couches.  Sensing something amiss, he sat down next to her with alarm, “What’s wrong Futaba?”

“....You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”  She muttered before she slowly pushed herself upright so she could pull her knees up under her chin, her bare feet hanging over the edge of the couch.

“Considering all the crazy stuff that’s happened, you might be surprised.”  Sojiro replied as he wrapped an arm around his daughter’s shoulders.  “Sure, I might not understand all this Persona stuff as well as you and the others do, but that doesn’t mean I won’t  _ try  _ Futaba, which is….something I should have been doing a lot more instead of letting you slip away into your shell as you did.”

“It’s not your fault….we were both pretty shaken up over mom….”  But Futaba still managed a grateful little smile as she leaned into the older man’s side.  “We were pretty stupid weren’t we?”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but yeah, we were both pretty lost there for a while.  Then that snot nosed punk walks into our lives and things start to change, even as the world nearly ends as we know it.  And there you were, right smack dab in the middle of it as if you hadn’t been a shut in for years.”  Sojiro chuckled but sighed heavily as he rubbed his hand against the girl’s arm.  “Now, two years later, and we’re still trying to figure this whole father/daughter thing out, but I won’t stop trying if you promise to do the same.”

“Father….”  Futaba’s bottom lip quivered as a new wave of tears began to form in her eyes, but she felt no shame in letting them fall down her cheeks.  She was safe here, with Sojiro, and while she still missed her mother severely, between facing Erebus and being surrounded by so many people that truly cared about her, about them both, it was enough for her to find the strength to open up about everything that was going through her head.

When it was over, Sojiro simply hugged Futaba more tightly before laying a kiss on the top of her head.  “Yeah, I didn’t understand half of that, but I got the gist.  I shouldn’t be surprised something like that could be created if there are things out there like that god of control you fought two years ago.  Which….as hard as it is to imagine what you described, means some of this Erebus thing came from me too.”

“What?  Why?”  She asked before she could stop herself.  Sojiro’s meaningful look said it all though, and she mentally berated herself for having not realized the answer sooner.  “Duh...of course….I’m sorry I didn’t think of it before I opened my big mouth.”

“It’s okay kiddo.”  Sojiro said as he moved his glasses aside and did his best to covertly wipe away the tears in his eyes.  “But yeah...there was a time I’d have welcomed a chance to just forget everything that happened with Wakaba, with you.  Two hundred years between us or not, that’s still something I need to come to terms with now that I know there’s something that powerful out there, but even if you hadn’t told me about Erebus, I’d still be resolved to let that go.”

“It is no easy thing,” both Futaba and Sojiro jerked and looked over the back of the couch as Seja slowly walked around their right before sinking into the couch across from them, her hands folded just below her chin as she put her elbows on the top of her legs, ‘to admit to such a thing.  I too have known the pain you’ve alluded to.”

“How long have you been standing back there?”  Sojiro asked before he could stop himself, before just as quickly asking, “and you too huh?”

Seja smiled sadly but nodded with a wave of her hand.  “Long enough.  And my own loss occurred when I was fairly young.  To put a long story short, I was a very different person when I started attending this unique academy.  I was arrogant, prideful, believing that just because my great grandfather had led a similar group of friends to victory against a goddess in the 21st century, that I was somehow entitled to the power I wield now.  The intervening years have taught me otherwise, but my journey truly began when my father was diagnosed with cancer after a massive element zero exposure.  He wasn’t the only eventual casualty, hundreds of people were exposed to the same cloud from an ‘industrial accident’, but I didn’t care about them, not while I was unable to help him even  _ with  _ this power.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that though.”  Sojiro replied, but Seja’s firm, strong shake of her head of silver gray hair had him taken aback somewhat.

“As I tried to say before, it’s fine.  The people here took me in since my mother had passed giving birth to me.  But Vezna, Shiro, Razak, Michael, Arya, and all the rest….I owe them everything for sticking by my side despite how things had started between us.  I’m no Fool like my grandfather but I’m alright with that, and if given a chance, I’d slap the arrogance out of my younger self for thinking I somehow deserved what I had no right to claim as mine.  But strangely enough, my father’s death was the best thing that could have happened to me, although there isn’t a day that goes by I don’t miss him.  But I hope he’s proud of who I’ve become.”

“If he was worth havin’ around, I’m sure he is.”  Futaba declared, to which Sojiro rolled his eyes at the sarcasm in her voice.  “What?  I keep you around, don’t I?”

Seja laughed merrily even as Sojiro feigned shock and embarrassment.  “He would have loved you two.  But whatever happens from here, even if the worst should happen, remember this.  Despair can only gain strength if you allow it.”

“Good advice.”  A thoughtful Sojiro replied as Futaba sighed in contented contemplation.  Having done her good deed for the night, Seja left them to mull over what she’d given them, a few tears of her own falling down her face as she smiled.

**The first floor back patio….**

Ann wasn’t sure how long Vezna had been standing against the railing, her tall, slender frame covered only in a loose black hoodie and a just visible gray shirt underneath with a pair of dark blue pajama bottoms covering her lower half.  She only knew that she was a little mortified that she’d likely heard her crying to herself after making the mistake of looking through her old smartphone’s photo album.  “She must mean a great deal to you.”

“Huh?”  Ann stammered as she jerked her eyes away from the phone between her thumb and forefinger.  “Oh...I didn-”

“Don’t.  I didn’t mean to startle you, Ann right?”  When she could only nod, Vezna’s mandibles lifted slightly as she nodded her head in return.  “Tonight’s been one heck of an ordeal for all of us, so I decided to get some air, work off some of this excess energy.  Guess that human concept of fate put us together for a reason if we had the same idea, even if our reasons are most likely different.”

“Fate can go suck an egg.”  While it was petty and insulting, Ann felt better for having said it, and to make it even better, Vezna chuckled as she pushed away from the stone railing that encompassed the back patio.

Sitting down at the same table across from Ann, the turian put her bare, taloned feet up on the surface as she slouched comfortably back in her chosen seat.  “Heh, can’t say I blame you for saying that.  I like to make my own path, which strangely leads me to how I even got here, halfway across the galaxy and not all that long after the Relay 314 incident I might add, at least by turian standards.  Imagine my surprise when some random human decided to pay my family, proud, military officers, the both of them, who had seen their share of action against your people, an unexpected visit one boring afternoon.  They weren’t happy, but with the strange things that had begun happening around me, they were relieved when he offered them some help.  I was a bit weirded out myself, but things started to make sense once I got here several years ago.”

“So what was your journey?”  Ann asked, to which Vezna’s visage took on a much more introspective, wistful demeanor tinged with a hint of sadness as well.

Folding her hands across her chest, she no longer looked the grim faced sniper of her group, but rather just another girl trying to make sense of things despite her very alien appearance.  “That’s a long story….but to sum it up, most of my family, as can be expected with most turians who haven’t forsaken our own, have a very long and proud line as C-Sec officers and military officers and officials.  Self sacrifice and service to our fellow man might as well be our motto, but for the Vakarians, it’s practically a way of life in most cases.  But I wanted something more, I didn’t just want to serve, I wanted to lead, to see the galaxy without the bias or the prejudice some of us have refused to let go of, and I knew sticking around Palaven would probably choke me into submission with the kinds of people my parents socialized with.  But despite being elated when the Narukami rep came around, I was also….profoundly sadder than I thought I’d be as the realization I was leaving home, hit me.”

“I can’t begin to imagine what that was like for you Vezna.  To leave everything you ever knew behind like that?”  It wasn’t the same thing in her case even though Ann and the others had left their original time to be in this one.  She had been able to take people she had grown very close to along for the ride, whereas Vezna had had no one to lean on in the same fashion.

Vezna shrugged her shoulders though and continued her tale.  “Nor would I want you to either, but your sympathy’s appreciated all the same.  In an effort to stave off my darkening mood, I found a few hobbies….which turned into obsessions after a while.  My hobbies were and are still harmless, but between my fascination with so many new races, cultures, beliefs, and ideas around every corner, it didn’t take long for me to find these delightful anime shows you humans seem so fond of, or to….start collecting…’ahem’....action….figures....”  If a turian could blush, Ann was fairly certain Vezna was doing her best impression of one as her eyes flicked uncomfortably away from Ann’s face.

She sunk further into her seat when Ann valiantly tried, and failed, to contain the laughter that bubbled up from deep in her chest.  Despite the fact she was the source of the blonde’s laughter, Vezna couldn’t help but chuckle and eventually laugh at herself at the image that had filled both of their minds.  “I’m sorry ‘snickers’, it’s just….oh...I never would have imagined what you just put into my head.”

“Me neither now that you mention it.”  Vezna snorted as she pulled herself upright in her seat, no longer embarrassed thanks in no small part in that she realized that she’d found an unexpected friend in the blonde across from her.

Once she was sure she had calmed down, Ann asked, “I take it you met your group of friends at some point during this little….collector's fever?”  She snickered but was able to stop from having another bout of giggles by biting her tongue.

“Yuck it up while you can Ann, but yeah.  Arya was the first of ‘em, followed closely by Razak, which at the time seemed downright odd since most krogans hate turians on sight for that genophage thing back in the day, which naturally led to Seja, Shiro, and the rest of those misfits that I have the fortune of calling friends.  Or misfortune, depending on what day of the week it is.”

“Trust me, I can relate.  Ryuji and Morgana give me more headaches than all of them put together.”  Another burst of light hearted laughter later, and Ann found herself sliding her old, by their standards, smartphone over towards Vezna, who gingerly picked it up between her taloned fingers.  “Her name’s Shiho.”

“A good friend I take it.”

“More like a sister in all but blood.” Ann corrected her with a distant smile. “In school, people always spread rumors about me, because of how I look, who I hung around with, but she didn't… her first words to me were ‘Ann-chan your paintings suck’.”

Vezna snorted before going into another fit of chuckles.  “Wow, that’s one way to make an introduction I suppose.  Still, it sounds like you found someone to hold onto, provided I’m reading things right.”

“You’re fine,” Ann was quick to reassure her before lowering her gaze to the table, ”and yeah….I just wish I’d have been a better friend to her….instead I got caught up in my own problems at the time.”

“Not that...it’s any of my business,” Vezna began as she very carefully set the phone down before sliding it back to Ann who left it where it lay between them, “but what makes you say that?”

One hand went up to her upper arm, and Ann let her eyes flick away from the turian’s inquisitive look as her fingers tightened on her arm.  “When she needed me most… I wasn’t there for her, I didn’t listen, I didn’t have enough faith in her.  I now know that I was wrong and I regret it, but it doesn't change what happened.”

“Is… she still your friend?  Did she forgive you?”  While she hesitated slightly, Vezna was relieved to note the blonde hadn’t noticed.  If she had, she was polite enough not to say anything.

“She did.” Ann muttered quietly and clutched the phone tightly to her chest after picking it up from the middle of the table a moment later. “Doesn't make it any easier though.”

“Maybe you should talk to her about it?”

“I- I can’t… she… she…..”

“I’m sorry.” Vezna murmured and lowered her head. “I shouldn't have asked.”

“No!” Ann protested and shook her head as she fought the impulse to slap a hand over her face for having given Vezna the wrong impression. “It’s fine… it's just.. I miss her.  And I’d...rather not talk about all this over the phone anyway, you know?”  That and she didn’t want to think about the fact Shiho was two hundred years dead and gone as far as everyone else was concerned.  That was one dark and depressing thought too many for her in that moment.  Despite that, she managed a watery smile towards the turian that had just been trying to help her despite knowing next to nothing about her.  “Th-thanks though….”

“For what?  I didn’t do much except embarrass myself mostly.”  Vezna deadpanned, but the look in her eyes said she appreciated the gesture all the same.  “Seriously though Ann, I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t offer a shoulder to a friend in need, even though we did kinda meet at the edge of reality and all.”

“At least it’ll be memorable.”  Ann replied as she began to relax about the same time a bright, cheerful smile reasserted itself on her face.

“Heh, guess so, how many people can claim that they’ve met while fighting a god.”  Stifling a yawn as a smile appeared on her face once more, Vezna merely grinned as she stood up with a groan.  “And that’s my cue to get some sleep myself.  G’night Ann, and it was nice meeting you.”

“Same here, and thanks.”  Vezna waved a hand over her shoulder as she walked back into the dorm.  Despite giving her phone one last, wistful, mournful look, Ann sighed but put it away before heading to bed herself.

**Haru and Yusuke’s room….**

“It… looks eerie.” Haru commented as she gazed upon the unfinished painting that sat in front of Yusuke.  It bore a vague resemblance to his depiction of human Desire, twisted, corrupted, consuming all in its path in its sucking miasmic embrace, but the painting before her now was also markedly different.  It was much darker in its color scheme for one, more blacks and dark blues, browns, she honestly hadn’t known black could have so many variations as apparently Yusuke had managed to draw out even if the painting itself was largely unfinished.  She had a feeling he knew what he was trying to expunge from his mind with the effort though, unfinished as it was, but it didn’t make the uneasy feeling easier to deal with as she let her eyes rove over the picture.

“My apologies, I just feel that I can best process what I’ve witnessed by painting it…  if you wish however, I could stop.”  Yusuke offered, much to Haru’s pleasant surprise even as she shook her head gently to dismiss the very idea.

“No, I wouldn’t ask you to do that Yusuke.  Besides….,” She trailed off as she stood up from the edge of the bed and made her way over to the artist’s side, “seeing it I feel would help me in a way as well.  To have a..face to go with what we felt in that place.”

“Indeed… I hadn't expected such malice.” Yusuke agreed quietly and lowered his brush. “Nor such violence… it is an unsettling thought such a thing could exist in us all as Amanda claimed.”

“If you don't mind me asking… what did you expect?”  Haru asked, genuinely curious to hear his thoughts on the matter.  She had her own opinions of course, her own points of view, but she wanted to hear his first.

“To be honest, I am not quite sure. I have always believed that death was beyond human comprehension, though if I had to describe it before, I would have said… peace.” Yusuke explained and grimaced at his inability to explain it any better. “I would have expected that one's struggles lie far behind when faced with death… this was nothing of the sort.  It was everything truly hideous and foul given flesh.”

“Now that I think about it,” Haru began as she folded her hands over her chest, her head bowed once more, “it had two heads, yet neither seemed all that interested in preserving its own existence.  It simply….lashed out mindlessly at the senior class without regard of the damage it was doing to itself at the same time.”

“Hmmm...now that you mention it, you might be onto something.” Yusuke said quietly, as if talking to himself rather than Haru. “Like a maddened berserker lashing out at everything, uncaring of his own wounds… no not quite… that look in its eyes… I don't think that there is anything that it didn’t hate, not even itself was spared… such a pitiful existence.  However it was made, however it came to be, it seems to follow the same logic as anything else we’ve faced.  Curiouser and curiouser.”

“If that’s the case, then it makes sense that, as impossibly strong as Erebus was, it fell all the same.  If indeed it comes back every year, then that in itself gives me hope because it means it’s been defeated over and over again.”  Haru couldn’t help but smile even as she felt moisture gathering at the edges of her light brown eyes.  “Shadows and the entities that follow….we might create them through our negative thoughts and emotions, but-”

“But we can surpass them, no matter their form.”  Yusuke finished, a bright, cheerful laugh escaping him at realizing what they had already discovered at the start of their adventure.

“Hehe, good to see you got the point of tonight’s little exercise.”  Both Haru and Yusuke turned quickly towards the partially open door, only to relax when Michael’s dark head of hair filled the narrow space.  “Not to be rude or anything, but hacking these doors ain’t as easy as you’d think.  Mind giving a guy a hand?”

“You…” Yusuke muttered and narrowed his eyes. “Were you not the one that summoned one of the Archangels to battle against Erebus?”

Michael simply grinned, flashing a perfectly straight set of teeth as Haru opened the door the rest of the way.  Stumbling through the now fully open door, the young man dusted himself off, his left hand glowing with the light of his omni-tool before he deactivated it with a deft movement of his hand.  “Thanks, and yeah, that was me.  Raphael’s a recent addition to the old brain pan.  Good guy ol Raph,  _ unless  _ you’re on the wrong end of his sword.  But meh, that’s a story and a half, where you two are  _ probably  _ more interested in why I was trying to get in.”

“That was going to be my next question, yes.”  Yusuke admitted as he let one hand support his elbow while his other hand fell beneath his chin in thought.  “Why were you trying to break into our room?’

“B & E sounds so criminal.  I was hacking the lock, not breaking it for one.”  Holding up a hand before the no doubt expected arguments could begin, Michael’s wide grin faded as he let his hands find their way into the pockets of his pants.  “That and you aren’t the only ones having a tough time with that whole thing.  I knew what we were gettin’ into, but that doesn’t make it any easier.”

“Doesn't it feel hypocritical to complain to him?” Haru questioned quietly and fidgeted with her hands. “I mean… we broke into people's… places as well.”  Yusuke muttered an agreement as Haru turned to Michael next.  “So why come to us and not one of your friends?”

“Because I know what they’ll say, and while I like ‘em and all, well, sometimes a new perspective doesn’t hurt.”  Michael replied as a flicker of his earlier smirk returned before he turned his back to them to make his way to the bed Haru had just been sitting on.  “Heh, better than the ones down in the first through fourth dorms.”  he said as he bounced lightly on the bed, before flopping back onto his back so he was starting at the ceiling.  “But to answer your real question, it sucks being an orphan, especially when you’re half as smart as I am.”

“A child genius?”  Yusuke asked, genuinely interested now.

“With the attention span of a hummingbird according to some people I won’t name.  Turns out my ‘ADHD’ was due to the fact I had an angel in my head this whole time, who knew?  Oh wait, these folks did.”  Michael chuckled humorlessly before another, much wearier sigh escaped him.  “I’ve been a Persona User for as long as I can remember, although I didn’t know what it meant when strange stuff started to happen shortly after my parents died.  I don’t remember the incident, I wasn’t there.  But someone came to the house while I was stuck with a babysitter and dropped the news on me.  That’s not something I’d like to go through  _ ever  _ again, thanks.”  Despite the attempt at humor, both Haru and Yusuke could see right through it.

“Your humor reveals much of your coping mechanisms, but I too know what it is to lose one’s parents.” Haru told him sympathetically, a barely noticeable waver in her voice as she remembered her own fathers demise.

“I figured.  You and lover boy both I’d wager know what that’s like, but at least you have beauty and brains.”  Michael snarked while pointedly ignoring Yusuke’s deepening glower.  “Sorry, the lady’s right though, I can’t turn off the snark to save my life.  I’d rather have a smile and pretend I’m alright then let people see what’s behind the ‘mask’ and see those pitying looks all the time.”

“I don’t think that they would pity you, at least your friends wouldn’t.” Haru told him firmly. “If they know you as well as I think they do, they’d understand.”

“Oh they do,” Michael agreed as he beat a restless tune against his stomach as he talked, “it’s why I agree with what Arya said at the end before she invoked a literal goddess on that two headed goat thing.  They saw right through my act right from the get go, but it was Seja, no surprise there given who her grandpappy was in his day, that got me to connect with them.  She ain’t a Fool, but she could very well become one.  Just look at Aigis, she’s a walking scientific impossibility since her last brain scan said all of her synaptic circuits were dead as doornails, yet she’s more human than some people I’ve known in my very short life.  I’d know because I helped the boys in the lab do the testing she needed done, just to see if everything was still working alright, or rather  _ not  _ working in her case.”

“How is that even possible?”  Yusuke asked, astonished to hear that Aigis, even if he didn’t understand the technical aspects, was able to walk and talk despite the fact it sounded like she should have been ‘brain dead’.

Michael merely grinned once more and sat up before shrugging his shoulders.  “How do we summon Personas?  How is it decided what kind of power we get?  How is  _ any  _ of this possible?  I’m a scientist by trade, or I plan to be once I graduate instead of simply going from the fourth to the fifth grade, but I couldn’t begin to give a logical explanation for what’s going on.  And you know what?  I’m alright with that.  Some things defy logic.  Heh, I once suggested that we can do all this stuff because we are just that awesome…. Amanda disagreed, but I got a smile out of her, so it was worth it.”

Haru giggled while Yusuke chuckled softly at the young man’s running commentary.  “Faith alone sustains you, huh?”  He eventually asked, having put two and two together in short order after giving Michael’s words time to sink in.

“Considering I have an angel on my shoulder?  What do you think?”  Michael chuckled even as he pulled out an old silver cross from beneath his shirt, the simple metal chain curled loosely around his slender throat.  “That and it’s the last thing I have of my folks, so anytime I’m out there, facing those things so few people know about, I always say a prayer to them first.  I’m still here, so someone’s likely looking out for me.  That and I met my new ‘family’ shortly after being brought here.  What more proof do I need than that?”

“That’s a truly mature and beautiful way to look at things.”  Haru agreed as she couldn’t help but gingerly wipe at one of her eyes with the back of her shirt sleeve.

“Hey now, don’t start the waterworks, you start crying and then I’m gonna cry and lover boy will give me the stink eye for making you upset.  It’ll be a mess all the way around.”  He chuckled but the soft, warm glow to his face put even Yusuke at ease as the artist sat on Michael’s other side.

Nodding his head to a nearby, canvas covered painting, Michael raised one black, thin eyebrow in curiosity.  “That painting over there….it was my mother’s.  It’s...all I have left of her.  I never knew my father, but my mother did the best she could with what little she had.  Her health was fragile but she was talented as an artist, but I remember her love for me was of far more value to her.  It’s...all I can truly remember of her, but that alone sustained me, in its way.  Then I met my own ‘family’, as you yourself explained, and the rest is history.”

“Heh, glad to see someone’s looking out for you too, Yusuke.  So who’s the lucky lady under that canvas?”  He asked as he crossed his arms over his small chest.

“The Sayuri.”  Was Yusuke’s simple explanation, but the reaction that got from their guest was quite unexpected.

“Wait... _ that _ Sayuri?!”  Before either knew what was happening, Michael had all but vaulted off of the bed and ran to the canvas covered painting.  While his hands were shaking, he was very careful in removing it before letting his eyes scan over the mother and the baby cradled in her arms.  “...the true Sayuri.  Not one of those fakes Madarame painted back in the day either.”

“How do you know that?  Only two people I know have ever seen the true Sayuri and have recognized its true nature, outside of us I mean.”

“Please, it’s easy for someone to spot love for a child when you haven’t had a lot of chances to experience it yourself.  You can try and hide it, paint over it, or erase it completely, but she’s not smiling for nothing.”  Gingerly setting the painting down, Michael tapped at his omni-tool before pulling up one of the ‘copies’ made by Madarame.  “Mysterious smile my perfectly shaped rear end.  You’d have to be blind not to see she’s looking at something, even if you can’t see it.”

“Indeed…” Yusuke agreed quietly and lowered his head. “I had always felt a connection to this particular painting even when I didn't know that it was my mother's.”

“How’d your mom get it?”

“That… I do not know, I never had the chance to ask her.”

“I see… sorry about that.” Michael apologized and coughed. “I was just curious, it is after all one of the lost treasures of the art world… to think some guy from Tiptree would have it.”  The little quirk of his lips and the knowing gleam in his baby blues suggested, quite strongly, that he knew better.  Whether he had deduced it in some fashion or he simply believed didn’t matter, only that Michael stared at them both with that same look before saying, “Meh, however you got your hands on it Yusuke, you be sure to hold onto it.  Wouldn’t want some guy like me to sneak off with her after all.”

“Hehe, indeed, but you’d have to pry it from my cold dead hands first.”  Yusuke declared quite proudly, a wide if thin smirk on his face as Michael began to inch towards the door.

“Is that a challenge?”  Michael asked before he had to duck a pillow from Haru.  “Oh fair lady, you wound me!”

“I’m about to.”  Haru replied with a laugh as Michael clutched at his chest as if she’d already mortally wounded him.  Cackling cheerfully as he backed out of their room, the last thing they saw was his wide grin before he shut the door on his way out.

“For being such an annoyance, he truly is a good kid.”  Yusuke mused as he walked over to put the Sayuri away once more.  “But he did give me something new to think about.”

“Not just you, but me as well.”  Haru agreed as she went to pick up the pillow she’d chucked at his head.  Whatever tomorrow brought, she had a feeling they were going to be alright.

**====================**

**End Notes: _Nomad-117:_** _ Behold, Erebus. The doom that slumbers within us all. Now that we have that dramatic introduction out of the way I can say that I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter of this madness. After that little shock it seemed only fitting for our heroes to seek comfort with each other and others thus… socialising. Which is also a large part of Persona, so it seemed even more fitting. _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  We’re just sorry it took so long to get this one up.  Between Thanksgiving, some RL stuff on both our ends, and a few other stories we’ve been trying to juggle, this one fell off to the wayside a bit.  Next chapter is a bit more of the same as this one, (we have a small stockpile of chapters we just need to edit before we can post per a somewhat haphazard schedule lol), but after the next one, the plot will begin to kick into high gear.  But as for this one, I’ll admit freely that I got a bit teary eyed with some of these after Erebus fight conversations we put together, and I hope the rest of you feel something as well as we did.  For now, take care everyone, and as always… _

_ Seize the day and be true to yourselves.  ; D _


	10. ...Has A Beginning

**Has A Beginning**

===============

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, Narukami Dorms**

**Date:  Fri, April 16th, 2182.  Past Midnight  Clear**

**The track field…..**

“That’s… death, huh.” Ryuji quietly mused to himself and scowled. “I just hope that my mom never met that son of a bitch.”

“You have it backwards.”  Ryuji about jumped out of his skin when Arya’s blue crested head appeared seemingly out of nowhere before she stepped out into the light.  “Sorry….but you have it wrong.  Erebus is not death.  Nyx was Death, Erebus is simply the wish for it, and the emotions associated with that wish.”

“Well whatever, it’s still messed up.”  Ryuji grumbled as he plopped himself down on the grass, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he spat onto the ground.  A heavy sigh escaped him a moment later before he let his head drop so that his chin rested against his chest.  “How can anyone wish for something like that?”

“Easy….they want an end to their pain, whatever that pain might be.  Haven’t you had moments like that?”  Arya asked as she sat down next to him, her hands hanging over her knees as she pulled her legs beneath her in a lotus position.  When Ryuji didn’t immediately respond, she nodded, having expected as much.  “It’s...not something to be ashamed of, but it is something to be worked past.”

“I mean… I get it if you have some sort of incurable disease or some shit like that.” Ryuji muttered angrily and shook his head. “But seriously, pain is just part of life… it’s temporary, you just have to keep on going, you know?  You can’t let pain stop you, otherwise you never get anything done.”

“Not all of us are so fortunate to be so strong.”  Arya countered gently as she looked down to her right hand, which she turned upward before a small, swirling mass of dark energy formed on her open palm.  “You’re right, don’t get me wrong, but far too many people, myself included, have let their pain get the better of them.  As you….no doubt heard, I didn’t even know what I was for the longest time.  Oh I understood I wasn’t human, that I was...different from most of the kids in my neighborhood, but I didn’t know what it was to be asari.”

“Heh… to be fair I’m still not sure what it means to be human.” Ryuji admitted with a shrug.  “There are always those that have some kind of expectation for you but for me… I don't know what  _ I _ expect of  _ me _ … you know?”

“If you’d have said that before I found those I shared so much with these past few years, I’d have likely slapped you upside the head with a Singularity by now.”  Arya replied as her blue cheeks turned several shades darker at admitting as much.  “For the longest time, I was too caught up on the ‘what’ when I should have been more worried on the ‘who’, as you so uneloquently put it.”  She chuckled at that as Ryuji gave her a mock stern glare that morphed into an easy grin.

“Yeah yeah, I get it, I’m vulgar.” Ryuji chuckled with an undignified snort. “The damn cat tells me that all the time.  Still, I think I get what you’re trying to say… before I met the guys I was just some dumb delinquent… now I am just… me, and I’m happy with that.  Damn….maybe we’re not so different after all?”

“No...we aren’t.  Alien or not, this much I know at least.  We all share the same burdens at the core of our beings.  The only difference between us is that I’m blue and you’re a weird….pink color.”  She giggled as Ryuji stuck out his tongue and pulled down one eyelid before chuckling as well.

“Hey, at least I’ve got hair instead of whatever you have.”  Ryuji retorted cheerfully as the weight that had been on his shoulders began to disappear.

“So do apes.” She shot back without missing a beat, a grin pulling at her full lips.

“Did Morgana put you up to this?”  He doubted it, but he felt the need to ask anyway.

“No, though if she likes doing things like that she must be enjoyable company.”

“ _ He… _ and he isn't.” Ryuji denied and paused for a few seconds. “Okay, yeah he is, but he’s still a pain in the ass.”

“Wait….is he that black cat I saw running around earlier?”  Arya asked as she cocked her head to the side.

“Yep, that’s the furry bastard.” Ryuji confirmed with a nod and an almost inaudible growl.

“Huh….I’ve heard rumors suggest he can talk, and that Aigis can understand him no less.  Although I’ve seen her speak to Kai so that shouldn’t surprise me.”

“Oh believe me, he can talk.” Ryuji snorted with a scowl. “That thing loves doing it, especially in that conceited tone of his.”

“Ugh...too many ‘Matron’ asaris I’ve come across love that damned tone of voice.  Yes, you’re over five hundred years old, that just means you’re a wrinkly old bag, but thanks for sharing your ‘infinite wisdom’.”  Arya retorted this time, before her scowl just as quickly changed into something far less annoyed.  “….Well, except for Saera.  She’s one of the few exceptions.”

“Matrons? Aren't they basically like your next stage of evolution or somethin’?”

“What?” Arya asked completely lost at the strange question.

“You know… Pokemon?”

“OH!”  The asari grinned as she figured out what he meant.  “Vezna has a bunch of those little action figures laying around her room.  No, it doesn’t work like that.”  Arya chuckled as she put a hand over her mouth to try and quiet herself.  “You’d never know to look at her, but beneath that badass sniper vibe she’s got going for her, she’s a giant dork, as you humans are fond of saying.”

“Sniper?  She looked more fond of blowing stuff up with that space ship of hers.”  Ryuji commented with a confused look in his eyes. “Or does sniping mean something different for you guys?”

“No… it doesn’t, but for Vezna, sniping and explosions are not mutually exclusive.  I say it’s too many of those animes she binge watches warping her brain.”  They shared another laugh before Arya slowly stood to her feet and dusted herself off with Ryuji doing the same.  “Thanks, for spending a bit of time with me.”

“Hey, I’m the one that should be thanking you Arya.  You ain’t half bad, for a bald headed squid lady.”

“You aren’t too bad yourself, for a hairless primate.”  When he registered the gleam in her eyes as she squatted down in all too familiar runner’s stance, one leg stretched behind her with the other braced and ready beneath her, Ryuji grinned openly as he did the same.  “Once around the track before going back in?”

“Oh you’re so on!  I used to be the track star back in my old school!’

“So was I.”  Taking off like a shot, Arya, despite her shorter stride, pulled just ahead of Ryuji.  With a whoop of exhilaration and joy, Ryuji’s feet pounded the track, leaving his earlier dark mood in their literal dust.

**Dining Hall….**

“Never anything to eat in this place.”  Hearing the angry, annoyed mutterings from the large, imposing krogan, a restless Akira and Morgana slowly walked into the dining hall as Razak did his best impression of a bull in a china shop.  The scrape of chairs and tables being shoved aside as he made his way to the kitchen were broken up by his continued mutterings.

“Dude, you tryin’ to get us in trouble?”  Asked Shiro, who stood some distance away, his arms loose at his sides as he followed after his friend until he spotted Akira across the way.  With a sigh, the blue haired youth put a hand over his face.  “Yeah, it’s about what it looks like.  An hangry krogan is not someone you want to mess with.  Believe me, I’ve made that mistake.”

“Thanks for the heads up.” Akira replied pleasantly, though his heart wasn't in it.  His mind was occupied with what he had just witnessed.  He wasn't entirely certain how he felt after seeing Erebus, though a part of him couldn’t deny that he was both disappointed and angry.  Centuries later and still humanity wished for its own demise, and the price was being paid by people like him, those around him, and Minato, who continued to seal the doom of all away.  All these years, and apparently nothing changed.  The same twisted desires he had born witness to as he had fought his way through the depths of Mementos were still there.  He couldn't help but wonder, how?  How could everything change so little?

He was aware that he was being somewhat hypocritical, after all he was just as human as any of them and thus susceptible to the same faults. Of course, Morgana had told them that Persona users couldn't have a palace due to their far superior control over their own emotions and heart, but a palace wasn't needed to become distorted.  He just had to remember Akechi in all his madness shortly before his demise. The uncomfortable truth was that he was afraid of ending up the same way himself.  He wasn’t blind to his own desires, but he was afraid of encouraging them lest they became a twisted mockery of what they once were.  When a balled up piece of paper slapped against his cheek though, Akira looked up to see Razak giving him the stink eye.

“If I wanted to tear your head off for ruining my midnight snack run, we wouldn’t be talking, pyjak.”  Razak rumbled as he made his way back to their side while Morgana tried to make himself as small as possible behind Joker’s shoulder.  “And I don’t make it a habit of eating furry….cat things, especially since rumor is you’re able to talk.  But let me give you two a bit of advice.  Erebus is nothing.”

“What makes you say that?”  Morgana asked even though neither Shiro or Razak could understand him without being exposed to the Metaverse, or by spending enough time around him as Sojiro had.

After asking the same question for Morgana, the krogan harrumphed mockingly in return before waving a hand over one large shoulder.  “Because while that bastard’s come back for two hundred years, we’ve beaten it back every time since some female in blue allowed us take over the fight.  Not once has that thing managed to do more than roar out both ends since.”

“It’s true.”  Shiro chimed in as he pushed away from the wall, his black leather jacket hanging over one shoulder.  “While it always comes back, people like us have always beaten it down with very little trouble.  There’s been a few close calls, but overall, Erebutt isn’t that intimidating with it having lost every time its appeared.  I’m of the mind that, no matter how big it gets or how many times it pops up, even a big brute like my friend here could take it down on his own, given enough time.”

“Bah, go sit on a landmine Shiro.  Kalros and I are unstoppable and you know it.”  Despite the boast, or the insult, it wasn’t hard to see Razak truly cared for the blue haired giant at his side.

It was made evident when Shiro just chuckled and said, “Right, I’ll be sure to tell Arya you said that next time you and her get into it.”

“Stop hiding behind the blue girl.”  The krogan growled out and narrowed his red eyes. “She always goes and annoys me to no end till she gets what she wants, I don’t need you encouraging her.”

“Is that why you make puppy dog eyes at her anytime you think she’s not looking your way?”  Shiro chuckled as Razak growled and took a half hearted swing at him a moment later.  Despite being outclassed by several dozen pounds, Shiro caught the fist with a grin, the thick muscles in his arm pulling taut as he stopped it dead.  “Now is that any way to treat a member of your future krantt Urdnot Razak?  I seem to recall ya askin’ me to watch your ass once we got out of here together.”

“My krantt doesn't need smartasses.” The krogan merely grumbled back. “Shut that mouth of yours and you’d make a fine krogan… a bit on the squishy side maybe, but still acceptable.”  Despite their bickering, the little twitch of the alien’s mouth said something else to the perceptive pair of strangers as Razak jerked his fist free of Shiro’s grasp.  “Stupid….blue haired pyjak, making me soft you are.”

“Yeah yeah, you care, you’re just afraid to show it, which is ironic given who my grandmother was back in the day.”

“Who was your grandmother?”  Akira asked, genuinely curious, and not just about Shiro’s lineage.  He wanted to know what a ‘krantt’ was, but that was next on his list.

“What’s a krantt?”  Morgana asked just as quickly, to which Akira sighed before repeating his question.

“Which one do you want answered first?”  Shiro asked next as he began to pull his arms into his black leather jacket.  When Akira shrugged before letting his eyes flick towards the blue eyed cat on his shoulder, Shiro nodded towards Razak.  “All yours buddy.”

“Thanks.”  Razak grumbled, but he was just as quick to smirk, revealing row after row of sharp little teeth in his jaws.  “Krantts are often a group of warriors, beholden to a single krogan.  If you can inspire others to follow your lead, you’re worthy of a krantt.  Strength, I found, isn’t enough on its own.  It takes more than sheer physical prowess, something many of my kind have forgotten.  Even my great uncle Wrex has forgotten this in his own right, but he’s half the reason I’ve come as far as I have.  The other half is this idiot I call a friend and sworn brother.  Yes, you can get a big head now.”

“I didn’t know I needed your permission.”  Shiro chuckled and grinned widely, but was just as quick to put a hand on the krogan’s large shoulder as he squeezed the limb as hard as he could.  Razak barely felt it, but he nodded his approval all the same.  “Razak’s a good guy once you get past his rough exterior.  Sure he’s noisy, rude, and doesn’t always have the best patience, but he’s loyal, blunt, and doesn’t take shit from anyone.  You’re either worth his time or you aren’t.  It helps we’ve saved each other’s ass more times than I can count.”

“Facing Margaret together was one of the best days of my life.  We didn’t win, but it was then I realized what should have been obvious.”  When he tapped at his armored chest, Akira and Morgana got the hint well enough.  Razak coughed, the sound like two boulders rolling down hill, and quickly looked away, not quite fast enough to conceal the damp spots around the edges of his red eyes.  “Ahem….now if you’ll excuse me, I have a kitchen door to smash down.”

“Dude, there’re snacks in the dorm.”  Shiro called to Razak’s back as he stomped towards the back of the large dining hall.

Without looking over one large shoulder, Razak said, “I want something I can sink my teeth into, not a puny potato chip.”

“Then go fishing or something.  There’s plenty of woodlands out on this island.”  Shiro replied just as Razak began to reach for the metallic double doors he had since stopped in front of.

“.....Fine.”  Razak grunted, his large, clawed fingers stopping just shy of digging into the metallic double doors in front of him before he turned around and stomped off the way he’d come.

Breathing much more easier, Shiro sighed and rubbed the back of his head before shooting the pair a grin.  “What was it you wanted to know again?  Oh right, my grandmother.”  Ignoring the startled look on Morgana’s face and the slightly amused smirk on Akira’s, Shiro waved them after him as he walked off, following the still angrily muttering Razak at a respectable distance.  “She was an ace detective at a very young age from what my folks told me ‘bout her.  Naoto Shirogane, highly intelligent, perceptive, and a heck of a shot to boot.  She’s also the first of the family to manifest a Persona along the Wheel of Fortune Arcana.  There’ve been others since, but she’s worth mentioning because she was part of the team that took down not one, but at least four different gods, the last of which was Izanami-No-Okami herself.  And that was just the start.  But her and me are similar in that, for the longest time, she disguised herself as a boy.”

“What why?”  Morgana asked, while Akira simply cocked his head to the side.  It was clear he had a few ideas, but he kept his counsel to himself for now.

“‘Cause the jackasses in her time in the police department only saw a kid playing at dressup, yet they kept her around because of how good she was at her job, far better than those idiots.  To make it worse, she was a girl in a man’s world, or so they made her feel with their constant ridicule and disparagement, only letting her in when they needed her help.”

“Hence why she decided it’d be a good idea to keep her true gender a secret.”  Akira mused, nodding his head as he put the pieces together.  “I can’t say I blame her for doing that with that kind of opposition.  And if I understand, you’re much more than you appear as well.”

Shiro grinned but sighed as he let his arms drop to his sides.  “I ain’t a girl in disguise or anything, but yeah.  I’m much smarter than I appear, like Naoto was in her day, but for some reason, when I hit puberty, I found it a hell of an easy thing to put on muscle like there was no tomorrow.  It didn’t take long for most people to assume I was just a blonde meathead with nothing between his ears, and proving them wrong didn’t make me any friends either.  So I eventually gave it up as a lost cause, and decided if they wanted to see me as a brute, I’d play into that false assumption.  But a seemingly random turn of the wheel later, and I found myself faced with a Shadow getting ready to eat my mother for dinner.  Too bad for that bastard, he drew the short straw when she summoned a Persona to kick its ass.  It wasn’t long after that I found out we had quite the family history, and that I had the same power she did.”

“So you wound up here as a result huh?”  Morgana replied through Akira, which Shiro nodded his head again.

“Unlike Seja, I didn’t let it go to my head, but I was still pretty shaken up over it all.”  Shiro admitted as he stopped just shy of the edge of the forest, where Razak quickly disappeared.  “But like a lot of people here, I had my issues to work past, but Michael and Razak were the ones most responsible for where I am now.  I was too caught up on how people saw me when I shoulda been worried about how I saw myself.  I’m a Shirogane, from a long ass line of detectives, bruisers, and Persona Users.  My granddad and grandmother both saved the world, multiple times, but I’m sure they’re proud of who I am.  And if not, well, so long as I’m at peace with myself, that’ll be good enough.”

“So why join Razak’s krantt?”  Akira asked even as he offered the big man a smile and a nod of approval for what he’d said.  The strength and certainty in his voice was reassuring despite having only just met him, but having been around more than his share of people who had reached a similar understanding, it made pushing aside his own doubts a little easier.

Shiro just grinned as he backed away into the forest, where Akira remained standing.  “‘Cause dude, Razak’s the muscle, but I’m the brain of our little dynamic duo.  People might see him first, but they won’t see me ‘til they try to put a knife in his back.  They try that, I’ll be there to curb stomp ‘em into the dirt long before they get a chance to get that close.  Looking like a brainless oaf has its advantages after all.”  Spinning on his heel, Shiro threw a thumbs up over his shoulder before taking off after the krogan.  “Hey Razak!  Better not be stuck in a hunter’s noose trap again or I’ll kill ya myself!”  The krogran’s bellowing laughter was the last thing they heard of the odd pair, but Akira felt right in wishing them the best even if neither of them heard the words themselves.

“Those two are downright bizarre, but I get the feeling they’ll be fine.”  Morgana stated with a firm nod of his head.

“So it would seem.” Akira agreed and looked after them, even though he could no longer make out their shapes. “Morgana… tell me, why do you think we’re here?”

“Hmm? What do you mean Joker?”

“Why are we so important?  They all have Personas, what do we have that would convince Igor to send us here?”

“We’re Phantom Thieves.” Morgana declared proudly. “Perhaps they need our skills in the future? They certainly aren't as stylish as us.”

“That is one possibility.” Akira allowed and sighed. “However, I wonder, are we here because of what we  _ can _ do? Or because of what we are  _ willing _ to do?”

“Uh… you lost me.”  Morgana admitted as his ears flattened against the sides of his head.

Turning away from the forest’s edge, Akira stifled a yawn as he and Morgana began to make their slow way back to the dorms.  “As you said, we’re Phantom Thieves, we steal the hearts of others.  I’m well aware that our methods are… morally ambiguous.”

“Are you saying that what we did was wrong?”  A startled Morgana asked as he tensed up against Akira’s back, his tail sticking straight up in alarm.

“No, I don't, and neither do I regret it, but I can understand why others would condemn us.”  Akira was quick to explain, both to assure Morgana but also to answer the question.  “Akechi had a point when he asked me what I would think if my friends suddenly acted completely different.  We steal their distorted desires, and thus forcefully change their way of thinking… others would never commit such questionable acts, yet we do. Perhaps that is part of the reason why we’re here?”

“If you don't mind me asking, why did you steal their hearts?” Aigis asked as she stepped out of the shadows of the grand front entrance that overlooked the double doors as they approached, her gaze immediately finding his.  “It certainly wasn’t for fun, and you’re aware of the gravity of your actions.  So why?”

“We weren’t completely selfless.” Akira admitted easily.  “We stole the heart of Kamoshida, for example, at least partially out of the desire to avoid expulsion.”

“I see, but that was not all I take it.”  Aigis stated as she invited him and Morgana to sit down on the stairs leading up to the academy.  Nodding his acceptance of the offer, he sat down next to the all too human robotic woman with Morgana hopping down to sit on the stone walkway in front of them.

“No… we weren't that mature back then…” Akira told her with a grimace as he recalled how easily they fell for the trap that had been laid for them simply because they were so easily swayed by public opinion back then. “And it cost us, however there was a simple question that we asked ourselves before we decided to steal someone's heart. What if we don't act?”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.”  Aigis admitted, to which Akira gently nodded his head again.

No surprise, but Akira was happy to explain their reasoning for her.  “We wondered what would happen if we didn't steal their heart.  What if we simply leave them be?  Let's take Kamoshida, since we mentioned him before, as an example.  If we hadn't acted, what then?  He would have continued to abuse the volleyball team, he would have continued to sexually harass, possibly even rape women outside of school if left alone long enough.  The suffering would have continued.”

“And to make it worse,” Morgana began as he drew Aigis’s attention his way, “the people in charge of Shujin were well aware of what Kamoshida was doing, and they didn’t stop him.  They were far more concerned with what he was bringing to the school with his accomplishments rather than the wellbeing of the students they were supposed to be protecting.  Not only that, but most of the parents of the volleyball team also knew, making them just as culpable.”

“Essentially, we saw injustice before our very eyes, and we had the power to act.  We came to the conclusion that inaction would have been the greater injustice.” Akira said darkly and shook his head. “If you have the ability to help, then why should you look the other way?  What good is power if you refuse to use it for the right reasons?  I know that many will claim that our reasons weren't as just as we make them out to be, but I am fine with that. I know what horrors they’ve committed before, we merely stopped them from doing so again.”

“But don’t you think it’s cruel?  To leave them in their own personal hell like this?”

“It’s a hell they themselves built.” Akira shot back with a raised eyebrow. “Besides, we  _ don’t  _ kill, although it would have been easy to do so.  They can atone for what they’ve done, isn’t that in itself a mercy?  If that answer does not suffice… well… we don't follow the law, we bring justice, and justice can be cruel.”

“You don't have to justify yourselves to me, it is simply a different aspect to what I myself hold to be true.”  Aigis reassured them as she reached out to scratch between Morgana’s ears, her eyes never leaving Akira’s face.  “Our circumstances are fundamentally different, so I should have expected as much from the start before I asked my question.”

“It’s alright.” He replied easily and chuckled lightly. “We all view the world differently, it's just our cognition. I certainly wouldn’t condemn your view or anything like that, it's just that I view the world my own way, as does everyone else and we have to respect that.”

“Indeed.”  Letting her hand fall from the cat’s head, Aigis offered the pair a soft, flicker of a smile before she looked down to her right hand.  Summoning a familiar blue light to her hand as it took the form of one of her Persona’s cards, Aigis slowly closed her hand over the card, dispelling it as easily as she’d called it forth.  “Even after two hundred years, I don’t know exactly how I gained the power I now possess.  I do know though….I carry a part of Minato inside me, at least, that’s what I believe to be true.  It helps that I allowed him to touch my Papillon Heart before he closed his eyes for the last time, which might have been the physical catalyst of what I now hold, but the emotional….that came later, when my Shadow appeared and tried to kill my remaining friends in a misguided attempt to protect me from myself.  Metis...might not have been my ‘true sister’, as Labrys and Gladius are, but she was still a vital part of my ‘humanity’ that I had discarded so I wouldn’t have to feel anymore.”

“I’m sorry.” Morgana muttered and lowered his head. “I wish… we could have helped you, that we could somehow spared you all of that.”

“Thank you… but as much as it might hurt me, even now, these experiences are a part of what shaped me. Without them, I wouldn’t be here.”  The firm conviction and unshakable resolve in Aigis’s voice, even as tears slowly rolled down her face, assured them both that she was alright.  That she’d always be okay, no matter how much time passed.

While he was more than a little surprised to see a machine cry, it simply confirmed what he’d already assumed to be true about her and Labrys.  “I see, you truly are admirable.” Akira told her with a gentle smile. “And let me tell you something, never doubt your humanity, I don't know if it’s due to Minato or not, but I can tell you this, you’re as human as can be. I’ve seen your soul, I suppose you could say, and it’s as beautiful as all the others here.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to win your way into my mechanical heart.”  Aigis chuckled but smiled appreciatively at Akira’s words.

“That’s my Joker for ya.”  Morgana was all too happy to point out, much to Aigis’s continued cheer and Akira’s only slight annoyance for his encouraging the idea he was some kind of shameless philanderer.

“Heh, no offense but no.” Akira assured her with a laugh though it faded a few moments after, and a contemplating expression took its place. “I’d like to ask you a question, one Fool to another, if you don't mind?”

“Of course not!” Aigis was quick to assure him. “You’ve been kind enough to answer all of my questions after all. It's only fair that I would do the same.”

"Very well, tell me Aigis... have you ever been in love?"

With the startled look on her face as she stammered out, "W-what?" he was willing to bet she hadn’t.

"It's a strange feeling is it not?  Your heart beats faster in exhilaration by just being near them... you feel so happy... and at the same time.... it's horrible.  You feel so incredibly open and vulnerable, they can get inside you and mess you up... or you get inside them and mess them up... and I don't know which one scares me more."  He told her with an uncharacteristically dreamy look on his face.

“Wait, I don't-”

“Everytime I see her in danger, I want to jump to her defense… but she wouldn't want that.  If anything, she’d hate it if I were to treat her like some kind of fragile flower.”  He continued on, unheeding of the confusion Aigis was currently experiencing, as well as the annoyance on Morgana’s face as he glared dubiously up at him.  “And I don’t know how to tell her, if I even should tell her.  It’s… complicated, I can’t value her over the rest of the team after all, how am I supposed to make rational decision in the face of adversity when my heart tells me to just ignore everything but her? Would this be easier if we were just ordinary people?”

“I-”

“I find that hard to believe. Love is… terrifying, it confuses me, shrouds my mind, and at the same time I enjoy every second of it.” He mumbled more to himself than anyone else.  “Sorry, I’ve been talking this whole time and not given you a chance to say anything.”

Despite her still blatant confusion and Morgana’s deepening annoyance, Aigis shook her head at the apology before putting a hand on Joker’s shoulder.  “I won’t lie, I’ve never truly been in love, not in the way you’d understand it at least, but I have….felt as strongly about someone as you so clearly do.”

“Minato?”  Morgana asked as his annoyance disappeared in the next moment, to which Aigis nodded her head again.

“I was the one responsible for Nyx’s avatar inhabiting Minato in the first place when I faced her on the Moonlight Bridge ten years before he’d later join Gekkoukan High of his own accord.  While I couldn’t remember most of what drew me to him initially, the battle with Nyx having damaged me considerably before I managed to seal her away, I knew I needed to protect Minato, no matter the cost.  But the more ‘human’ I became, the more those fledgling feelings began to grow, and while my main mission never changed, I began to care just as much for those Minato surrounded himself with as Minato himself.  Yukari, Junpei, Akihiko, Ken, Koromura, Mitsuru, Fuuka, despite our differences at times, we all became a ‘family’, and while I am the only one left of the original group, Minato’s love for them became mine in its own way.  When we finally moved on from his loss, we did it together, so in this way, I know what it is you’re asking.  My advice?”

“Go on.”  Akira gently encouraged her as Morgana made it clear he was just as curious.

“Don’t think too much about it.  Just do.  Tomorrow is uncertain.  I might not know what your situation is, or what hers is either, but after two hundred years, I’ve seen what happens when people wait too long to go after what they truly wish for in life.”

“Is it normal to be… afraid? That she won’t return my feelings?”  While it was strange to be asking a robot for dating advice, Akira wasn’t thinking along such lines.  Mostly because she seemed as human as he was, but the real reason was that she was a fresh perspective to an old problem.

“Heh, that is completely normal.” Aigis told him with a smile and patted his shoulder. “Just remember, no one ever fell in love without being a little brave.”

“Hmm….”  Morgana mused as he scratched the side of his face in thought.  “Just jump in both paws forward eh?  Mwahahahaha, see ya Joker!” With that smug laugh, Morgana literally shot away into the night, all the while cackling like a maniac.

“Oookay.” Aigis muttered slowly and scratched the side of her head, just in front of her ‘headband’.  “That just happened.”

“Yeah, you just get used to it in time.” Akira told her with a sigh and massaged his temples with the tips of his fingers. “It's either that or you go mad.  I’m still debating whether or not I’ve gone nuts myself.”  The self deprecating humor was received with another light laugh between them, before Akira slowly began to stand to his feet as he spotted a panting, sweat covered Ryuji and the blue skinned Arya walking up towards the pair.  The easy going smiles on both of their faces said that whatever they’d been talking about, it had improved their moods considerably.  “Looks like we aren’t the only ones that’s been having a heart to heart.”

“Indeed.”  Aigis agreed as she too stood and dusted the hem of her dress off with one hand.  “Did you two have a good run together?”

“We did.  She lost.”  Ryuji was quick to point out before chuckling as Arya playfully jammed her elbow into his side.  “Hehehe, oh quit bein’ a sore loser.  You’re damn fast for such bein’ so short.  A few years, and you’d be unbeatable.”

“I’m already fifty.”  Arya flatly stated, before she immediately gasped and slapped both of her hands over her mouth.  “Shit!  You didn’t need to know that….”

“Huh… wait… does that mean you’ll stay tiny forever?”

“Yes… yes it does.” Arya moaned and let her head just fall forward. “Thanks for the astute reminder.”  With a groan, the asari let her hands drop about the same time she let her head fall.  “Hairless, long legged donkey’s ass, makin’ a lady admit to how old she is.”

No sooner had the words left her mouth did they all jerk their heads to the sound a window shattering, and a black ball of something sailing through the air to land on its four pawed feet with a screeching yowl, its fur standing on end as it visibly shook.  “L-L-Lady Ann is trying to kill me!” Though confused at what happened, AIgis immediately began to translate for Arya's benefit.

Ann stuck her head out of the shattered window before she tossed a hairbrush down at Morgana.  Her aim was spectacular as the handle bounced right off the center of the cat’s forehead, knocking him out cold.  “AND STAY OUT YOU LITTLE FURRY BASTARD!”

“Dude, for real? What did you do?” Ryuji asked flabbergasted, unable to remember the last time he had seen Ann as enraged as she was now as she uselessly slammed the window down despite most of it being scattered all over the ground where Morgana had landed.

“I must have done something wrong.”  Morgana muttered frantically and shook his head as a red knot began to appear beneath his paws.  “I merely wished to confess my true feelings for her, I must have done something to enrage her.”

“Yeah, obviously.” Ryuji told him with a teasing grin. “So, what did you do? Too many cat puns? Scratched her? Ruined her favourite shirt?  Or did you eat her food?”

“No!” Morgana hissed back at the smirking blonde. “I would never act so unbecoming in the presence of Lady Ann!”

“Oh yeah? Then what?”  Akira asked while Aigis tried very hard not to giggle aloud at the absurd situation that was playing out around them.  Arya wasn’t so subtle as she snorted into one hand, her earlier embarrassment completely forgotten.

“I’m actually not sure.” Morgana mumbled helplessly.  “I wished to meet with her, but her door was locked.  Thankfully I noticed that I could climb out of a window and enter through her slightly open one.”

“Uh… you do know that usually there’s a reason why the door is locked? Right?” Ryuji couldn't help but point out, all others present nodding in agreement.

“I see… so she didn’t wish to be disturbed…”  Morgana groaned as his ears flattened against the sides of his head again.

“I find it hard to believe that your friend would throw you through a window because you disturbed her.” Arya noted with a raised eye ridge.

“Well… once I was inside I immediately began to confess my feelings to her, but…..she didn't seem to reciprocate them.”  Morgana said sadly and sighed. “Perhaps I should have waited for her to get dressed. But once I beheld her… I couldn't stop myself. I was… mesmerized”

“You what?!”  Ryuji practically screamed into the night, while the others winced at the volume of the scream.  None of them would be surprised if he were to wake all the other students, especially after the sheer volume Ann had produced just a few minutes ago.  “What were you thinking, you stupid cat?!”

“I was just following Aigis’s advice, moron!”  He calmed just as quickly as he gave the woman a sheepish grin in apology.  “Not that you’re at fault for my own blundering Lady Aigis.”

Aigis, for her part, was able to swallow back her bubbling laughter before she began to speak, “‘Ahem’....it is quite alright Morgana, but in hindsight, it might have been smart for me to say there was an appropriate time and place for such things as this.”

“Anyone could have figured that out.” Ryuji grumbled under his breath and shook his head in sheer disbelief.

“Ahem…. Anyway I wish you more luck with your own confession, Joker.” Morgana said mechanically, tail twitching. “I am sure Makoto will appreciate it.”

“The hell?” Ryuji laughed and shook his head. “Makoto? Man, are you blind?  It’s obvious that our leader has a thing for Ann!”  When he spotted Akira’s surprised glance out of the corner of his eye, Ryuji just shrugged and smirked knowingly in turn.  “Seriously?  You aren’t exactly subtle dude.”

“Noooo!” Morgana whined and rolled on his back, yowling in despair.

“The hell?  Is the cat broken?”  Ryuji asked as he clamped his hands over his ears in an effort to block out some of the noise.

“It seems your friend has entered the denial stage.”  Arya noted with amusement and chuckled before plopping down next to the poor cat in question. “I’m actually surprised that your crude way of telling him the truth didn't get him kicked right out again.”

A moment later Akira’s omni-tool flashed with an incoming message. “Is everything alright? We can hear Mona howling.”  Yusuke’s voice came from the device.

“Are we under attack?”  Haru asked as well before another voice joined them.

“What’s going on?”  Futaba asked as her face appeared on a holographic screen. “Can someone reboot Mona? Also, you need better security, Joker.”

“That’ll be your job Oracle, as for Mona, let me see what I can do.”  Akira promised before turning his gaze to Haru and Yusuke’s faces.  “We’re not under attack, Mona’s just….having a rough night.”

“Rough night, yeah.” Ryuji agreed mischievously. “He peeked on Ann and got thrown through a window!”  He cackled, one hand clutched at his belly as he doubled over in laughter.

“Mona-chan did what?” Haru asked in disbelief and shook her head adamantly.  “No, I refuse that he would do something that horrible.”

“He did.” Ryuji promised her even as Makoto came running towards them. “He didn't get the hint and snuck into her room to confess his feelings to her or some shit like that.”

“Vulgar as ever.” Yusuke pointed out with exasperation clear in his voice. “Still, I wouldn't have expected Mona to act so recklessly nor so dishonorably.”

“Oh apparently he was afraid that our leader would get the girl if he didn't confess first.”

“So, Akira has finally decided to ask her out?”  Haru asked for confirmation to which Joker sighed but nodded his head.  There was no use denying it now that everyone seemed well aware of the obvious.  “That’s great! I am so happy for you!”

“Indeed, I have a feeling that Takamaki-san will be far more receptive towards your advances than she was towards Morgana.” Yusuke noted, satisfied and chuckled lightly. “I was wondering if you would ever find your courage to do so.”

“Does everyone know?”  Akira grumbled as he could feel a headache coming at the mere thought of it.

“Of course.” Makoto told him smugly, a grin pulling at her lips.  “It was obvious to all who were watching.  The way you would watch her, and the way she always stays close to you are quite obvious after all.”

“We even made bets with Boss!” Ryuji told him with a smile and clasped his shoulder.  “Though I think no one thought it would take you this long.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Sae told them as she came to a stop beside her younger sister.  “If you ask Sojiro, there’s one person that’s still in the game.”

“For real?!?”

Sae smiled like the cat that got the canary. “For real, I interrogated him after all, it’s important to get a picture of the one you are interrogating… and it certainly helped me in that regard.”

“Wait, you’re the one that’s going to win this bet?!  You dirty rotten cheat!”  Ryuji growled and waved a hand defiantly in her direction.

Sae laughed but grinned victoriously even as she leveled her gaze on Akira. “That is correct, so please hurry up Akira.  I would like to get my winnings soon. I promised Makoto that she and I would visit some hot springs, just the two of us.”

Morgana, now that he had recovered some of his shattered dignity thanks in no small part to Arya fawning over him, perked up at this bit of news.  “Truly?  Then I suppose it’s okay if Joker puts himself in the line of fire in place of yours truly.”

“Why do you have to put it like that?” Ryuji asked Morgana and pointed towards the shattered window. “I doubt that she’d throw him through a window… slap him possibly, perhaps a good kick, but nothing beyond that.”

“Thanks Ryuji.” Akira drawled sarcastically and shook his head.

“No problem.”

The sound of the double doors slamming open had all of them stiffening as Amanda’s dark, menacing gaze settled on them all, one hand going to the slender fencing blade at her right hip.  “Let me make one thing perfectly clear to all of you.  If you do not wish to be executed where you stand, you  _ will  _ go to bed this instant.  It is far too late for this level of sheer folly.”

“Aww, come on teach, this was just getting good.” Arya joked with a chuckle that apparently died when the glare turned to her.  “Understood.  Good night everyone.” She said meekly and made her way to the dorms.  Everyone else quickly followed her lead, gingerly pushing past Amanda as they filed past her one by one.  Mona made it a point to cling to Ryuji’s back as he shimmied past the intimidating woman as if she were covered in poison covered spikes before dashing down the hallway once he was sure she couldn’t turn and skewer him.

The last to leave was Akira, but Amanda stopped him as her hard glare softened in an instant.  “I had meant to show you something after….our confrontation with Erebus, but I fear I didn’t think it through as well as I should have.  You had only just gotten here after all, and you and your friends were already emotionally shaken, and yet I put you through more of the same without taking into consideration what should have been obvious from the start.  For that I apologize….and I promise that it won’t happen twice.”

“I can't accept that.  The way I see it there is nothing to apologize for. Yes, you made a mistake, yes you could have waited for a better time to show us this… but the truth of the matter is life isn't that kind, we have to be prepared to face its hardships whether we are ready or not.” Akira told her simply and shrugged. “Sure, I would have preferred it differently, but at least it keeps us on our toes so that we don't get complacent. Perhaps you have taught and shown us more than you first intended with this lesson.”

“I’m glad that my blunder did more good than harm then.  Good night, Akira.”  Akira nodded his head as he passed, but not before giving Amanda a little smile, conveying more in that gesture than he could have ever expressed with words alone.

==================

**End Notes: _Nomad-117:_** _ Tada, part two of our socializing chapters. What can I say? We had  _ **_a lot_ ** _ of fun writing them.  Though we tried, tried being the key word here, not to get too crazy. That said, I am pretty happy how it turned out. What do you guys think? _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  And yes, before anyone asks, we made a rude Naoto with our Shiro lol.  Nomad had a good laugh about it when I first revealed just who the guy was, and in hindsight, the image of Naoto with the impressive physique of Kanji, complete with a black leather jacket and all that, was too hilarious to pass up once I realized what I’d created.  Harkens back to the Drag Queen Pageant during the Persona 4 story in a way lol.  Jokes aside, I agree with him, this and the last chapter were pretty good, all told, especially our less than subtle nod to Dick Grayson with ‘Michael’, as well as the far less subtle reference to Arya from Game of Thrones during her Faceless Men assassin arc.  ‘No one’ indeed, but we hope you guys enjoyed all that we’ve put together thus far, and we apologize for the late update.  We got caught up in a couple of other stories as well as RL in general, but we should be getting a few more of these out before Christmas if all goes well. _

_ For our other stories, Nomad has recently uploaded the beginning of a revised story from me called A New Age:  A Grey Beginning, a Young Justice and Dragon Age crossover although in the hopes of drawing more attention, we have it placed only in one of the fandoms since very few people have thought to combine the two.  As for the rest, a Diablo and Mass Effect story called The Eternal Effect is another of our current projects, along with a NCIS and Mass Effect project called….Alliance Criminal Investigative Service.  I really need to come up with a better name for that lol.  Anyway, see ya folks, and as always, seize the day, come what may.  ; D _


	11. Trouble In Paradise

**Chapter 11**

**Trouble In Paradise**

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, Narukami Dorms**

**Date:  Fri, April 16th, 2182.  Morning  Sunny**

Waking up was a chore after last night’s draining ordeal, but Akira and the rest of the Phantom Thieves managed okay as they found Sojiro already hard at work in making them and the rest of the dorm a fresh pot of coffee, something that had started to become a habit and one he was all too happy to indulge once news got out about his skill.  Fueled and able to just get a bite to eat, Akira cocked his ear to Futaba’s open news feed, curiosity getting the better of him as they started towards their next class of the day.

_“-nother protest rally by the quarians living on the Citadel.  This one denouncing the poor living arrangements, citing the usual offenses of health and safety concerns.  Some residents are naturally against extending such basic courtesies to the race of alleged thieves and vagabonds, but those sympathetic to their cause are pushing for better treatment for the displaced race.  This is Khalisah Al Jilani, reporting for ANN.”_

“Sounds like a real problem.”  Makoto mused as she took a bite from the snack bar she’d pilfered from the lounge.  “It seems racist tendencies are still present.”

“No surprise if slavery and worse are still a thing.”  Futaba countered but shrugged, a handful of crackers in her off hand while her omni-tool continued to provide background noise.  After another enlightening lecture by their turian tutor about the quarians, they’d gotten a glimpse of what the displaced race had to contend with on a regular basis since losing their home world due to an honest if massive mistake.

“Still, it is saddening to see that these quarians continue to suffer for the mistakes of their ancestors.” Yusuke noted wistfully. “It makes me wonder whether aliens are as different from humans as they claim.”  Blinking his eyes as they exited the academy, all of them having received directions on their omni-tool messenger programs to a clearing just inside the forest a ways, Yusuke sighed and ran his arm across his forehead.  “At least the weather’s nice.  After last night’s fiasco, seeing the sun….it feels more profound for some reason.”

“No shit Yusuke.”  Ryuji agreed, his hands in his pockets as he walked just behind the artist.  “But it wasn’t all bad.”  A sentiment they could agree upon with how the evening had ended.

“No… we learned a lot as well.” Makoto agreed, a small smile making its way on her face as she remembered the time she spent with her sister in the aftermath. She was certain that the time they had spent together had undone a lot of the distance they had sometimes felt still.

“You didn't have a cat peep on you though.” Ann muttered and sent a withering glare at a cowering Morgana.

Morgana could only duck behind Akira’s shoulder and gulp audibly.  “It was a disgraceful mistake on my part Lady Ann.”  He groaned, truly contrite as he felt rather than saw Ann’s continued glare despite having Akira between them.  “I can….understand if you’d not forgive me though.”

“Just….ugh, don’t do it again Mona.  Now quit looking like I’m going to gouge your eyes out.”  Feeling strangely guilty for making Morgana suffer further, Ann sighed and let her arms and head flop out in front of her.  “I guess I did overreact a bit, which doesn’t help things does it?”

“Nah, your throw was awesome!” Ryuji told her with a grin. “I mean Morgana went right through the window, for a moment I really thought the furball could fly.”

“At least I’m not some kind of vulgar ape!” Morgana hissed at the blonde boy.

“At least some things haven’t changed.”  Haru chimed in, clearly amused as her gaze went from Ann and Morganna and back again as Yusuke held a branch out of the young woman’s way as they crossed into the forest’s perimeter.

Before anyone else could retort, a figure seemed to appear out of nowhere.  Whether the salarian was using some sort of cloaking device or was merely adept in hiding, they couldn't say, nor did they get the chance to ask as he, for his voice was undoubtedly male, immediately began to talk a mile a minute.  “Welcome, welcome, you must be the guests I’ve heard so much about!”  The salarian greeted them exuberantly as they found their way into the forest clearing a short time later.  With a nod, the two horned alien smiled widely as he gestured towards the various logs and stumps surrounding a central firepit.  “Heard a lots of rumors so far, will later have to confirm facts, though you have a flare for the dramatics if last night's events and combat training are any indication.”

“You’ve seen our combat training?”  Futaba asked, immediately intrigued despite how sore she still was from the other day’s class.

“Of course, not just scientist. Advise students on strategy and teamwork if necessary.  Have to learn, otherwise might endanger each other. Unacceptable, always strive for perfection even if unattainable.”  Nodding his head excitedly, the salarian sat down and crossed one long, slender leg at the knee as the rest of the group began to find their spots around the clearing.  Only once everyone was comfortable, he chuckled and grinned sheepishly a moment later.  “Ah, apologies.  Introductions forgotten in my excitement.  My name’s Semaf Guyor, parascience, which contrary to what my ‘peers’ would say, is a legitimate practice, but you know that yourselves I imagine.”  The added air quotes were hardly necessary, but the action helped make it apparent that he was less of a stiff than Tibertus from the get go.

“You could say that.”  Ryuji laughed and smirked at the scientist. “But how’d you stumble across all this?”

“Ah, unpleasant story I’m afraid. Was part of STG, the salarian Special Tasks Group, got a hint about a possible terrorist attack… Kirijo group asked us not to interfere, ignored their advice.”  Semaf sighed as he fingered an unseen medallion that was beneath his white and black synthetic leather shirt.  “Team was wiped out as a result, only survivor.  We know better now, even if most of my former colleagues refuse to acknowledge existence of Shadows and their counterparts.  Too many unknown variables for their narrow minded views to handle, easier to ignore as result.”

“Colleagues?  How many people know about… Shadows and Personas?” Ann asked with an uneasy glance at the rest of the team. If too many people were aware, their future activities could prove to be far more difficult than they were used.

Semaf waved off her concerns with a shake of his horned head.  “Not many, some higher echelons are partly aware, but since it’s so hard to capture and contain a live Shadow, and dead ones disappear so quickly, it’s one of those things people ‘talk’ about but don’t actually believe in, like ghosts.  Of course, just because you can’t typically study one under a microscope doesn’t mean they don’t exist, but that’s what most of my people are like.  They prefer cold, empirical data to wild speculations and assumptions, and suffice it to say, even with my unfortunate first hand experience, I can’t blame them their willful ignorance.  I’ve studied these things for nearly a decade, and I still know so little about them.”

“Huh?  You’ve studied them for so long?  What for?” Ryuji rudely asked and sighed. “I mean man, they want to kill you. What do you want to know about them?”

If Semaf was offended, he didn’t show it as he merely shrugged his shoulders in response before saying, “Example, why?  Why do Shadows react with hostility, so far no clear answer. Might be getting close, purely speculation thus far, but perhaps a greater understanding of their nature can be reached if peaceful study is successful.”

“For real?”  Ryuji’s disbelieving glare was matched by the rest of them as they tried to wrap their head around the idea of studying something that, without fail, had tried to kill them save for the case of Futaba’s Shadow, but even that had been an unique situation all its own.

“Hmm, I suppose it is possible to talk to them.” Akira slowly agreed and leaned back. “Usually I only did it to extort them though… or forcefully recruit them.”

“Which leads me new point.  Not all Shadows the same, but depends on environmental factors.  Metaverse example,” Semaf said as he nodded his head towards the group as a whole, “Shadows not typical in this instance.  Personas distorted into Shadows more appropriate, but only Wild Card holders can contain their power, others only scare them off or barter for items and currency if not destroyed outright.  Shadows I encountered distinctly different.  Fragments of the psyche, emotions gone haywire, somehow given a physical manifestation which they use to feed upon unwary prey.  How they choose form, how they appear at all, all unknowns, but like Personas, they follow Arcana, can be classified by types, weaknesses, strengths, etcetera.”

“Huh, I never thought of that before.”  Makoto admitted to which Futaba made a thoughtful noise in agreement.  “You’d know better than us Futaba.”

“I would but I wasn’t too focused on the details at the time, but now that you mention it, he’s right.  My Persona _did_ keep track of them through their Arcana, which I thought was weird at the time.”

“If theory that Shadows are corrupted Personas is accurate, then it would be perfectly reasonable, otherwise they might not be Personas but closely enough related that strengths and weaknesses are essentially the same.  And we _do_ know for fact that Personas were once Shadows, tamed emotions and one’s ego given a physical ‘form’ one can control.  Which means….”  He trailed off, the question all too apparent to the group as they shared an uncomfortable look with each other as they put two and two together.

“Which means that if a Shadow can become a Persona, then it’s theoretically possible a Persona could revert back to a Shadow…..”  They paled about the same time when the realization hit that, under the right circumstances, they were carrying around their own dooms inside their respective hearts and minds.  Yusuke grimaced as he looked towards hir left hand, his lips pursed in a grim line.  “If that’s true, then it’s probably a good thing we didn’t let last night’s events linger more than it did.  It would likely take a lot more than one night of unspoken, suppressed emotional build up for that to happen, but still….”

“Scary thought all the same.”  Semaf agreed quickly, head rapidly bobbin up and down. “Never saw, or heard of it happening, but lack of witnesses doesn’t mean anything, possibility is there.  Have heard of other strange occurrences though that support this.  Two hundred years ago, Investigation Team, lead by Yu Narukami himself, came across fighting tournament ran by Shadow, which in truth was a pawn in much bigger game.  Labrys’s Shadow, and Labrys herself, both pawns, true problem resided with a young man named Sho Minazuki, but even he was pawn to entity of malice.  Bring it up at all however because Labrys’s Shadow able to create copies of Shadow people despite these individuals having Personas already.  Short term goal, cause the IT emotional distress, break down bonds between them, revert Personas to Shadows favored result.  Long term goal, collect Persona fragments to unleash entity of malice, nearly succeeded.  Sho realize truth only after fights were concluded, became true Persona User, Labrys freed, and IT able to go on peacefully with their lives.”

Unable to begin to digest the load of information Semaf had dropped on them, it was Haru that spoke up first.  “She hinted at what had happened with her, but she didn’t mention anything like that.  I’m surprises she told us about her days at the lab now that I think about it.”

“Ah, apologies but yes, Labrys had hard and difficult life.  Truly tragic, but you’ve seen her strength, her compassion.  She truly is a marvel that defies the very laws of ‘established’ science.”  Rubbing the bottom of his chin in thought, Semaf sighed and, despite having only just met him, Akira got the impression he’d come to some kind of decision.  “She proves that the impossible is possible, or at least what we’d consider as such, just as Aigis does in her own right.  Which brings me to why we’re here.  I know you are having trouble unlocking your Personas, correct?”  When they shared uncomfortable looks between them, the salarian nodded his head and let his arms fall to his knees, which he drew up underneath him on the log he was sitting upon.  “Well, no shame in admitting as much.  Many catalysts, many ways to come to the power many of us employ to pursue our truths.  Actually have theory that different worlds draw out our Personas make it easier to manifest in comparison to ‘real’ world, have yet to prove it of course. Don't have instruments to measure it, and fewer still that work in other worlds in first place.”

“Alright, now what though?”  Ryuji asked skeptically and snorted. “You want us to sit on a log and think till we get our Personas back or what?”

“No, not think. Medidate, reach inside yourself, find the other self within.”  Semaf offered, and chuckled knowingly when the team only stared at him in disbelief.  “Not first to give me strange looks for suggesting as much, won’t be the last.  But what harm is there in trying?”  He asked, to which no one could find a way to argue.

“Well,” Morgana began as he hopped down next to Akira and Ryuji, “it’s something at least.  We’ve already gotten beaten by Margaret and that didn’t do anything for us.  Seeing Erebus didn’t help either.  Maybe some simple meditation would work?”

“A slim chance is better than none at this point.”  Yusuke agreed.

“Yeah, I know it could take a long time… but I’m tired of being powerless.” Ann declared firmly. “If we want to change others, we first have to change ourselves.”

“Admirable.” The salarian praised them with a quick grin. “Suggest you meditate on your own, tried it in classes before… always complained about the other students distracting them.”  While they didn’t exactly like the idea of separating, they did as Semaf bade as the group scattered to the edges of the clearing.  Akira waited until the rest had gone, letting his gaze linger on Ann as she looked over her shoulder, but a firm, silent nod was all the encouragement she needed to disappear between the trees before he turned to Semaf.  He blinked though when he found the salarian wasn’t there.

“Semaf?”  Akira asked, but when the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand on end, he grimaced as he slowly stood.  “Just getting paranoid in my old age.”  He muttered to himself, the dancing flames of the small fire drawing his gaze as something sparked moments before the tendrils of smoke began to thicken and billow out around him.  Sensing something amiss, Akira took a step, and immediately felt dizzy as his gray eyes began to droop close against his will.  “Oh….no.”  He groaned, stumbling back from the fire, one hand against his temples while the other fumbled with the dagger at his belt.

Semaf appeared in front of him, a cold gleam in his big eyes the last thing he saw as the air was driven out of his lungs from a single well placed punch to his stomach.  Collapsing to his hands and knees at the alien’s feet, Semaf knelt down so that they were eye to eye.  “Colleagues in STG will be happy to get their hands on you, Mr. Phantom.”  Hitting the ground at last, Akira was out cold when his cheek hit the wet grass, leaving Semaf to rub at the bottom of his chin.  Opening his own omni-tool, Semaf smiled as he sent a message to his superiors.  “Phase 1 complete, preparing for extraction.  Have shuttle ready for pickup.”

=============

Despite Ann’s hesitation and trepidation in leaving Akira alone by the fire, she’d gone to find a quiet spot to ponder her own shortcomings and how she’d gained her Persona in the first place.  They needed their power back, especially if they planned to be able to truly make a difference.  The last time around, anger had played a major role in awakening her Persona, the fury she had felt for what Kamoshida had done to Shiho, for what he had wanted to do to her.  It had pushed open the gates to the power that slumbered deep within her heart.

She bit her lower lip nervously, she knew that they were supposed to let each other meditate in peace, but the last time Akira had played a major role as well, urging her not to simply give into the rage that had nearly driven her to completely destroy the cowering Shadow of Kamoshida.  Slowly she came to a stop, turning around, wondering whether she should go back to get their leader’s help or not. _He’s probably got other things to worry about._  She thought and shook her head at the selfish thoughts that seemed to poison her mind.   _I can’t go running to him every time I have a little problem. I haven’t even tried yet!_  She reprimanded herself and clenched her fists.  With a resolute nod she decided to find a quiet place for herself when a muffled thud reached her ears.  It was almost inaudible, but it came from Akira’s position.  Spinning on her heel, she started back as quietly as she could, curiosity and something else getting the better of her.

Seeing neither Akira or Semaf at the campfire, Ann frowned at the billowing smoke, thinking it strange there was far more than the amount of kindling should’ve allowed.  Her instincts were warning her that something was amiss, and so she brought up her omni-tool and unceremoniously called the rest of the team.

Ryujia was the first to answer the team call she’d put out.  “Ann? What do you want?  Do you have any idea how hard it is not to think of anything when a branch is poking your ass?”

“Is something the matter, Ann?” Haru asked, infinitely more polite.

Ignoring them, Ann grimaced as Akira’s face refused to appear even as the rest of the team chimed in one by one.  “Akira, are you there?”

“Takamaki-san, what is going on?” Yusuke asked after their leader remained silent.

Speaking quickly, Ann started for the edge of the clearing, the dread in her stomach increasing by the second.  “I’m back at the campfire, Akira and Semaf are gone… Something’s fishy going on.”

“We’re on our way.” Makoto declared firmly, the rest of the Phantom Thieves muttering similar promises.  Surprisingly it was Futaba that arrived first, the younger girl clearly out of breath but that didn't stop her from frantically looking over everything.

“Where is he?” She muttered, her voice held a note of panic even as she tried to hide it. With an impatient growl she brought up her own omni-tool and began to punch in codes and sequences that were far beyond Ann’s understanding. “Got y- What?”

“Futaba, what’s going on?” Ryuji asked as he appeared between two trees, his breath even despite the distance he had undoubtedly ran.

“I tried to locate Joker, but the moment I got a reading, it disappeared!” Futaba muttered frantically even as she continued to manipulate her holographic interface. “You gotta do better than that frog face.” She declared viciously as footprints began to light up on her omni-tool, the same prints appearing in the grass before her, and beside the footprints was the shape of human body.

“Semaf!” Ann hissed as she glared at the projections.  Even she could see that the footprints were deeper after a certain point even without the light from Futaba’s device making the prints stand out against the ground.  He had undoubtedly grabbed Akira and was taking him to who knows where.

“Futaba, can you upload this program to all of us?” Makoto asked, and wasn’t disappointed when she had barely finished her question that their omni-tools gave a beep.  Once hers too was tuned to search for Semaf’s trail, her fists trembled with rage. “We can find him a lot quicker this way.”

“I’m gonna make him pay.”  Ryuji swore quietly as he ran after the tracks his omni-tool highlighted for him.  Yusuke and Haru close behind followed by Makoto, Futaba and Ann. The blond girl would have preferred to be at the very front of their search party, but being a Phantom Thief had taught her to look out for her team, and right now she was keeping Futaba, their arguably weakest member, safe as she pulled her coiled whip free from her belt.  With a nod, the rest of them followed her example, preparing themselves for a fight.

Despite being burdened by Akira’s heavy form, it didn’t take long for them to notice that Semaf was much stronger than he’d appeared since even ten minutes into their trek through the woods, and they only found more of his prints.  Morgana, ever the fleet footed cat, took to the trees, keeping an eye on their progress from above.  “Nothing so far.”  He called out, just as determined as the rest to find their fearless Leader.  He nearly missed his jump to the next branch when his ears perked up and his head snapped to the left.  “There’s a shuttle on the way!  It’s landing on the edge of the island!”

“He’s planning to leave the planet?!”  Ryuji cried before he put on an extra burst of speed.  “No way, no way in Hell are we losing Joker to this assbag!”

“Move.” Makoto ordered and the rest of the team picked up the pace at her order.  Just a few minutes later they reached a small clearing, the crashing waves on the rocky shore offset by the sound of a shuttle landing on the white sandy beach.  “There!”  She pointed towards the approaching vehicle, her gauntlet covered fingers clenched tightly as she raced Ryuji for the goal.  Passing in front of a tree, she caught movement at the last second, and ducked as an orange glowing blade zipped just above her head as she rolled to her feet.

“Quick reflexes, no surprise you’re a Phantom Thief, Ms. Niijima.”  Semaf declared, the smile that had been on his face no longer present as he stepped out of the foliage, his right hand glowing with the light of an orange, hard light blade. “I confess, I was sceptical at first, after all you are barely more than young adults, teenagers at most, even if you truly did travel through time, but then I saw the fight of your Joker and Margaret.  I know her strength well and to have pushed her as far as he did on his first try… Well, I certainly can’t deny that there is some truth to the story of the Phantom.”

“Quit your bragging, asshat.” Ryuji growled lowly. “Give us back our leader and I’ll only make this hurt a lot.”  Giving the spike covered bat that Margaret had pulled from the sea of his soul an experimental swing, Ryuji leveled it towards the salarian for emphasis.  “Or we can do this the hard way, your call!”

Despite being surrounded by the majority of the Phantom Thieves, Futaba and Makoto having since disappeared into the foliage to try and locate Joker, Semaf merely smiled a little wider.  “I like my chances.  Retired STG, if you’ll recall.  And I have something you do not.”  Running at him, as blunt and heavy handed as ever, Semaf stepped to the side and kicked at Ryuji’s back all in the same fluid movement.  If that wasn’t enough, the sound of a cutting wind where his foot met the young man’s back was audible to them all as Ryuji was sent tumbling head over heels.

Shaking his head in disappointment, Semaf crossed his arms and glanced towards the bush Ryuji had fallen into.  “Tsk, it seems I have overestimated your abili-” Semaf stopped and looked somewhat incredulously down at Morgana who had run up to him and bit him on his leg. “Seriously, a tabby cat?  How… threatening.”

“Mrgfmfph!”  Morgana declared and bit down as hard as he could, but even that failed to penetrate the fabric of the salarian’s boots.

Yusuke ran forward next, avoiding a devastating strike even as his own sword forced Semaf to lean back.  The salarian made to counter attack when suddenly, a cord seemed to wrap itself around his throat and pulled him down. With an irritated scowl the salarian spun around, grabbed hold of the whip that was around his throat, and gave it a sharp pull, sending Ann flying through the air.  She didn’t hit the ground, not before he lashed out with his foot, driving it deep into her stomach while smashing Morgana into her side in the same instant.  Both went down hard at his feet, but Semaf was far from done as he turned, yanking the whip from Ann’s fingers as he went, and used the handle to score a hit between Yusuke’s eyes.  Stumbling as dizziness hit him, Semaf was there in an instant, his hand around the young man’s throat as he slammed him down to the ground.  With a groan, Yusuke could only stare helplessly up into the alien’s big eyes.

“I wouldn’t come any closer Ms. Okumaru.”  Semaf called, sensing the young woman’s approach as he tightened his hold on Yusuke’s throat at the same time.  “My associates will claim your Leader, and we will be on our way with no further harm done.  Or, you can try to fight, I snap his neck, and I proceed to kill the rest of you for interfering in STG business.”

“No….you won’t.”  Raising an eye ridge, Semaf looked towards the blonde he had kicked in the stomach, surprised that she was standing at all as she clutched at her midriff.  “I...won’t let you….take him!” For a brief moment her eyes seemed to burn in a deep golden colour that sent shivers down his spine with its predatory intensity, and then he had to let go of Yusuke and jump as far away as he could, lest he get bisected by a beam of concentrated fire that set ablaze everything it so much as got close to.  The very temperature of the air rose rapidly around the blonde as she slowly but surely overcame the pain she was in.  “We’ve….come too far together….for you to just take him from us!”

“Indeed.”  Yusuke hissed as his eyes too changed for a moment, and while they also changed to a golden hue, there was a noticeable difference as the air froze around the blue haired youth.  “We’ve all grown….too much for this to be how we fall apart.  You made a grave error, trying to kidnap one of our own like this, and to make it more profane, you threaten the woman I would die to protect!”  Standing to his feet, Yusuke’s hands clenched tightly around the hilt of his sword as he drove the blade into the sand, using it to support himself until he was sure he could stand upright on his own.

Haru was taken aback by the declaration, but she pushed that to the side as she glared daggers at Semaf in turn.  “It was because of Joker that we’re where we are now.  Because of him… I’m free, and if you think I’ll let you take him…” The glare the unassuming, kind girl sent at him was crushing in its intensity.  So much so, the very air seemed to distort and waver around her, but no heat was felt to explain it.  “You sought to betray us… allow me to show you what I’ve learned of betrayal!”

“Let’s make one thing clear asshole!”  Ryuji shouted, right before a silver haired blur was thrown through the bushes to land in the sand, her right arm sparking as Labrys, her large, heavy axe landing blade first in the sand at her side, skid to a stop beside Semaf.  Coming out of the underbrush, bolts of electricity crackled around the blonde delinquent as he once more pointed his spiked bat at the pair.  “No one messes with the Phantom Thieves and gets away with it!”

Firing with every step, Gladius backed away slowly as Futaba stepped out of the underbrush, the high powered bullets pinging away against some kind of barrier.  The furious look on her face spoke volumes on its own even as the hacker said nothing, her hands clenched at her sides as she continued to stalk towards the blonde robot.  “Akira’s like a brother to me, my key item, the rest of the Thieves my ‘family’, and you just tried to split the party?!  Over my dead body!”

In that moment, Makoto, fist leading, leaped over Futaba’s head and slammed into the sand just in front of Gladius.  While she was able to jump back and away, the bright explosions of Makoto's nuclear power that raced towards her ensured Futaba and Makoto had some space between them.  Standing slowly, Queen didn’t let her gaze wander from Gladius as she paused, as if awaiting orders from Semaf.  “While I can understand your curiosity, that doesn’t make your attempted theft of one of our own acceptable.  We swore to right such injustices as the one you’re planning to commit.  Using Labrys and Gladius as your pawns, just how far were you willing to go to achieve your twisted ends?!”

“Perceptive but irrelevant.  I offered you a chance to let us go, but you have forced my hand.  Labrys, Gladius, priority alpha.  Kill them.”

“Not so fast.” A voice muttered from behind Ann, as Morgana slowly came back to his feet. “After all we’ve been through you think I’d just leave them?” The cat hissed, his fur bristling angrily, eyes zeroing in on his three opponents. “Show your might, **_Mercurius_ ** _!”_

Semaf and Labrys managed to jump back before the invisible blades of the summoned wind managed to cut into them, Gladius for her part emerged mostly unscathed but still had received a small gash along her right arm.

“Hmm, so rumors and observations are true after all.” Semaf noted calmly as a figure began to take form behind him. It appeared to be a salarian in light armor, but instead of a face, a grinning skull glared down at them as the dark red light of curse based attacks began to glow in his open palms. “Then I suppose we should take you seriously.  Eradicate them, **_Spectre_ ** _!”_

Like dozens of heat seeking missiles, the dark glowing orbs began to rush towards the various thieves even as they jumped and avoided the attacks as best they could.  Despite the differences to their previous engagements, there were things that remained the same, and all of them had a lot of practice avoiding such attacks.

As was her prerogative when Joker wasn’t around, Makoto took charge, shouting orders rapidly as she chased down Gladius.  “Oracle, do your best to support us. Skull keep them at bay, Noir hit them when you get the chance, Fox once you see an opening hit them with all you got, Mona disrupt their own attacks and heal us, Panther and me are gonna do our best to support each of you…” Having ordered her teammates as best she could, none of them so much as hesitating at her commands.  “Panther, try to aim carefully with your attacks, we don’t want to set the forest ablaze.”

“No problem.”  Panther replied as she lashed out with her recovered whip, the long, leather like length catching flame as it sailed towards Labrys’s chest.  Despite her damaged arm, the robotic warrior was able to get her huge axe up, but Panther changed the direction of her attack at the last moment, grabbing hold and giving it a good yank in the other direction, forcing the end of the whip to change direction as she did.  Instead of hitting Labrys head on, it curved around her, slamming into her from the side.  “Picked that up from Castlevania!”  She cheered as Labrys was sent tumbling to the sand, a scorch mark on her side.

“They aren’t in control of their actions.”  Futaba reminded them as her gaze leveled on Semaf.  “Try not to hurt them more than you need to.”

“Easy for you to say!”  Ryuji yelped as he and Yusuke weaved in and out of the craters Makoto had created as they tried to keep up with the salarian.  Slamming his bat into Semaf’s Persona, he grinned as Spectre’s skeletal visage went from smug to growling in pain while Semaf grunted from the impact.

“N-not bad….for an incomplete manifestation.”  Semaf growled through clenched teeth, his large eyes narrowed to slits as he banished his Persona, using the particle storm of blue and white to get a hand around Ryuji’s chest before slamming his head into the blonde’s face.  Despite the dizzying blow, the blonde grinned, one eye clenched shut while the other remained focused on his face.

“Not bad… for an old frog.” Ryuji coughed, a savage grin making its way onto his face. “But I haven't even gotten around to showing you my incomplete manifestation!” He finished mockingly. “ **_Seiten Taisei_ ** _!”_ He shouted even as he viciously headbutted the Salarian and took hold of him. A moment later both were engulfed in a literal storm of electricity that lit up their surroundings, the thunder of the sudden strike echoing across the island.

Releasing the salarian, Ryuji took two steps back, breathing heavily from the exhaustion of the sudden powerful attack he just called down on the two of them.  His jacket was actually smoking a little, and a bit of sweat was visible on his face.  In comparison Semaf was far worse for wear. The salarian collapsed onto his knees, breathing heavily, his breath rasping even as he let out a few painful sounding coughs.  He tried to get up only to collapse back onto the ground.

“How was that for an incomplete manifestation, you son of bitch?!” Ryuji asked, still breathing somewhat heavy as he gripped his weapon tightly.  “So, where’s Joker?”

“Ryuji watch out!”  Turning to the shout, Ryuji never saw Gladius until she had already slammed a fist into the small of his back, knocking the blonde flat as he skidded across the sand before coming to a crumpled heap some distance away.  Haru put her hands up to her mouth, a sharp, startled gasp escaping her as the rest of the team stared in varying degrees of shock.

“Skull!”  Morgana cried, before turning his gaze on the woman.  Something snapped inside the cat, who began to glow with a golden light.  Slowly standing upright, Morganna’s head swelled, his ears elongated, and a curved scimitar blade appeared on his right shoulder, held in a more human like hand.  Running his free hand down his neck, he only spared a momentary glance at himself as his fingers brushed against the blue bandana around his neck, before charging towards Gladius as she did the same, ducking under Yusuke’s follow up attack as she went.  “Let’s try this again!   **_Mercurius_ **!”

Morgana’s blade crashed into Gladius’s own weapon and sent her skidding backwards a few feet.  The machine never got the chance to recover as the Persona fully took form behind him, not a mere flicker of the power they had seen before, but rather the full might of it unleashed as the very air itself became her enemy. Hurling her around, smashing her against the ground and trees.  “No one beats up Ryuji, except me!”

Having started the dominoes falling, Morganna was only the first as Haru stepped forward as Labrys twitched, a puppet on someone else’s strings, her head snapping towards the heiress.  “I’ll release you, Labrys.”  She promised as Astarte began to take shape behind her.  “ **_Astarte_ **!  Psiodyne!”  The air around her distorted and warped, surrounding Labrys on every side just as she tensed her legs to jump forward, axe held tightly against her good arm.  Instead, the machine gave a cry as she clutched at the sides of her head, her large axe tumbling to the ground as the psychic assault broke through whatever Semaf had done to her.  “I’m sorry, but you left us no choice.”

“Rest assured that we will not let anyone take control of you again.  You shall be free, Labrys.” Yusuke told gently even as a fierce look entered his eyes.  “ **_Kamu Susano-o_ ** _!_  Bufudyne, freeze her solid.”  Before Labrys could recover, the silver haired woman instead found herself in a block of ice, unable to move from where she’d fallen to the sand.  “That should hold her, at least until we can hack through Semaf’s control.”

“Already on it.”  Futaba promised, having since disappeared into her own Persona, her fingers a blur as she established a connection to the pair of Anti-Shadow Weapons.  “These two are damn complex, it’s gonna take a while before I can hope to break through their AI coding.  Keep Semaf and Gladius busy until then!”  Prometheus's black surface, its segmented appearance glowing with a myriad of colors where the segments connected, floated six feet off the ground as it protected Futaba from anything thrown her way.  Cocooned in her tech sphere of a Persona, Futaba’s hands continued to manipulate data streams and coding lines with the grace and skill of a master pianist.

“Gladly.”  Makoto growled as she and Ann stared down the remaining Anti-Shadow Weapon and the salarian as he struggled to his feet. “Panther, you take care of Semaf… Gladius is mine.”

“Got it.” Panther replied evenly her fiery gaze turning to regard the still struggling Salarian as she slowly walked towards him, her Persona still flickering in and out of being behind her even as flames seemed to dance around her.

“ **_Anat_ ** _!”_ Makoto bellowed as the transformer like Persona took shape behind her, its metallic surface glinting in the light. “Diarahan!” Instead of attacking with it however, she sent a powerful healing pulse into Ryuji’s form even as she dashed forward.  Her metallic Tekko reflected the light from the sun right into Gladius eyes a split second before her first strike hit her straight in the chest.

The former student council president didn’t let up though and continued her attack, each strike sending Gladius reeling until she swept her feet out from under her and continued to pound her into the ground.  When Gladius caught her hand, Makoto growled as sparks and light seemed to dance around her fist and the robot’s fingers, before she ripped her hand free.  Gladius’s fingers came with, shattering like so much glass under her immense strength.

It was only when a pair of very large, strong hands pulled her away from the damaged machine that she and the others realized that they weren’t alone.  “What’re doin’ Tiptree?!”  Lukas’s deep rumble filtered through the haze as Makoto blinked and glared at the young man behind her.  “Ya lost your mind or what?!”

“Wha-?  No!  She and Labrys are being controlled!”  She protested.

“Controlled?  What the hell are ya on about?” Lukas asked confused, though he still didn’t release her from his grip.

“Semaf.” Ann’s voice cut in coldly even as she stood over the salarian, her whip coiled tightly around his throat, a foot on his chest as she slowly pulled at the cord.  “He kidnapped Akira, and I want to know where he is.”

“That true teach?”  Lukas rumbled as he let Makoto go, his eyes narrowed to slits as he stared down at the bound salarian.  The salarian only managed a weak rasp and made a hurried gesture towards the whip that was still threatening to crush his airways. “Right, could let him answer ‘fore you kill him?”

“I wasn’t planning on killing him, we aren’t that ruthless.”  Ann replied but wasted little time in loosening the cord from around Semaf’s slender neck.

Gasping and wheezing as the pressure was let off, Semaf chuckled weakly as he held up his hands in surrender.  “You...have it all wrong.”  He wheezed, smiling exuberantly once more, as if he hadn’t just been trying to kill them all.  “Not….kidnapping….anyone.”

“Could’ve fooled us asshat.”  Ryuji growled as he stood to his feet, fully healed thanks to Makoto’s aid.  “So where’s Joker?!”

“I’m here.”  Ann was the first to jerk her head towards the shuttle, before forgetting all about Semaf, her whip’s handle forgotten as it fell next to the alien.  “What happened here?” Akira asked, confused as he beheld all the destruction in front of him before he had Ann’s arms around him.  “Last thing I remember is the smoke from the fire… and suddenly this really loud ringing in my ear, afterwards I followed the explosions.”  He looked past the girl’s blonde head and raised an eyebrow when he caught sight of something hanging just over her back.  “And Hecate….you’ve summoned her outside of the Metaverse.”  He marveled as Ann, while keeping her hands on his arms, looked over her own shoulder and blinked, nearly as surprised as he was by what she saw.  Ignoring her for the moment, Joker scanned the rest of them, and was surprised all of his friends had achieved the same result.  “What…?”

“Could someone melt this ice ‘fore my servos rust over?”  Labrys, having just managed to free her left arm, called out after she’d beaten away the ice covering her face.  “And you can stop hackin’ my head now Oracle, I was never in danger, but it’s nice y’all were worried.”

“I’m tempted to hack you and make you do embarrassing things for the stunt you just pulled!” Futaba’s voice shouted from inside of Prometheus’s shell. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?!”

“I’m sorry b-”

“No, this is not over!” Futaba cut her of angrily. “We’ll _talk_ about this, later.”

“Yay?” Labrys cheered unenthusiastically and allowed herself to slump forward against the still present ice. “On second thought, put me back on ice.”

Yusuke smiled at the silver haired woman but nodded his agreement to Futaba’s shouting.  “I think I’ve begun to figure out the point of this whole charade.”

“I would hope so...ow.”  Semaf groaned as he stood on shaky legs.  “You’ve shown your intellectual prowess already, don’t disappoint me now, my young friends.”

“I can still fry you, you know?”  Ryuji muttered half-heartedly and shook his head in annoyance.  “But yeah I get it, you had to push us so that we could manifest our Personas.”

“You needed us to believe our lives were in danger, that our friends were in jeopardy.”  Haru intoned next as she stared up towards her own Persona before it faded away in a brilliant shower of blue and white motes of light.  “You wanted us to find our own catalyst, and given what you’ve observed from us, you figured our anger at the injustice of such a betrayal, coupled with our concern for one of our own, would be enough to do it.”

“It certainly worked the first time.”  Makoto mused as she threw out a few more healing spells to those that needed it, saving Joker for last.  “Still, I have to agree with Futaba, this was a bit much.  What if we’d killed you by mistake?”

“That would have been unfortunate.”  Semaf replied easily and chuckled weakly. “Though the answer is twofold, first I am former STG, death doesn’t frighten me, and secondly… I underestimated you.  I thought at best you would be able to manifest an incomplete version of your Personas, nothing of this power level.”

“I warned him.” Gladius groaned out ever so helpfully from the ground. “I told him that you don’t mess with bonds like that without repercussions.”

“Yes, I know.” The salarian muttered and rolled his eyes. “I was wrong and you were right, happy now?”

“Ecstatic, you know, aside from feeling like an angry elephant trampled over me, ripped off a few of my fingers, and pretty much obliterated what passes for internal organs with me.”

“You’re still angry at me.” He observed mildly.

“What gave you that idea!?”  Gladius shouted back, her eyes full of her understandable rage at the alien, up until Makoto knelt and another Diarahan washed over her.  She smiled up at the brown haired brawler. “Thanks, for a moment I was worried you’d pull my arm from the socket and start beating me with the squishy end.”

“Uh… I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to injure you that severely.”  Blushing furiously at how far she’d let her rage get the better of her, Makoto wasn’t able to look the blonde in the face.

Gladius wasn’t hearing it though as she dusted herself off, smirking goofily as she regained her footing.  “Tsk, liar, you were totally aiming to beat me into next century, but that’s okay, you were protecting a friend, I probably would have done the same if, you know, you hadn’t beaten me to a pulp.”

“I’m sorry!”  Makoto cried out.

“I said don't worry about it, really.” Gladius assured her with a laugh. “You’re easy to tease aren’t you?”

“Gladius, be nice to the poor gal.”  Labrys called out from her icy ‘bed’.

“Shut it ice cube, you should have known better too.”  Going over to her ‘sister’, Gladius sighed and shook her head in amused annoyance before she stomped down hard on the ice still covering Labrys’s right side.  She was surprised somewhat when it didn’t crack as much as she’d have thought.  “Damn kid has ice to last it seems.”

“I do apologize for the inconvenience.”  Yusuke offered, and started towards the still trapped Labrys until Ann got to her first.

“I got this one.”  Ann said as a crackling orb of fire appeared in her right hand.  She needed only to stand close for the ice to melt in quick order, freeing Labrys in no time.  “There, and thanks, for doing this Labrys.  I might not be happy with the trick you three pulled, but thank you.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it.”  Labrys replied, an easy going smile on her face as she dusted herself off with her good hand before reaching around to cradle her busted arm against her chest.  She smiled a little wider when Morganna walked up to her, a lopsided smirk on his still humanoid face.  Another gold and green light appeared, and she too was restored to her previously healthy state.  “Thanks furball.  Gotta say, love the new look for ya’s.”

“Th-thank you Lady Labrys.”  Bowing at the waist, Morganna shifted to his much more mundane cat form, and grinned up towards Labrys before glancing towards Semaf.  “As much as I want to be mad at you three though, I gotta agree with Lady Ann and Haru.  We owe ya one.”

“I still say I should hack those two idiots for making us worry.”  Futaba grumbled, but try as she might, she couldn’t keep up her annoyance as she made her way to the rest of the group.

“I still have a question though.” Makoto chimed in and looked at Semaf critcally. “What do you propose to do in Jokers case? The same trick won't work twice now that he’s aware of it.”

“Ah, well you see I already planned for said eventuality.”  Semaf promised before beckoning them to follow him.  It didn’t take them long to realize they were starting back for the dorm.

Lukas having been silent this whole time, could only whistle and shake his head at the group at large.  “I said it once, I’ll say it a’gain.  You guys are nuts, but can’t argue with the results.”

“Indeed, went better than expected.” Semaf muttered distractedly, and gently massaged his throat.  “Hope Ms. Kirijo will see it the same way.”

“Semaf… what did you do?” Labrys asked, suddenly feeling a cold shiver go down her spine.

“I might’ve forgotten to mention my plans to the administrative elements of our little academy, and our boss.”  Semaf sheepishly replied.

“Well, we’re fucked.” Gladius concluded with fake cheer.  “Been nice knowin’ ya guys, don’t let them turn me into a toaster, m’kay?”

They all paused and gulped or shivered minutely when they stepped out of the trees, and saw Amanda, Aigis, and the Satonaka twins waiting for them, with Amanda standing just ahead of the rest, her long arms crossed across her chest.  “I’m afraid that it’s a bit late for explanations.”  Despite the noticeable chill in the air, the twitch of Amanda’s lips was all the warning they had before she chuckled and smiled at the group behind Labrys, Semaf, and Gladius.  “Having said that, I do congratulate you in your recent success.  I can safely assume Semaf’s ploy worked and that you were able to find your power once more.”  When the Phantom Thieves summoned their respective Personas, Amanda nodded her head in abject approval, even as she glanced towards Joker, a knowing gleam in her eyes.  “Which means you’re the last, and you were the catalyst.”

“I was.”  Akira stated, unsurprised she’d been able to figure out what had occurred so quickly.  “Being ‘kidnapped’ had its perks from what I’ve been able to piece together, although the raging headache I have from whatever drug Semaf used is something I coulda done without.”

“Mild sedative, some side effects, do apologize for that.”  Semaf explained.

“It’s alright, I just don’t like being drugged.” Joker waved him off with a slight grimace and turned back towards Amanda. “So, what do I have to do, Semaf here claimed that he already had an idea.”

“Yes, quite simple in theory. Propose the fog for Mr. Kurusu, has proven to be impressive specimen.  Most likely able to handle it… in case of failure I apologize for demise.”

“Ah, so it’s the usual do or die.” Akira noted and nodded, as if that made perfect sense.  Ignoring his friends’ collective gasps or shouts, Akira pressed onward, undeterred.  “So nothing special there.  Where to then?”

“Well, guess that’s our cue then.  Come on Lukas, it looks like all’s well that ends well.”  Akio said as he wrapped a slender arm around the big man’s shoulders while his sister none too gently shoved him forward against his back despite his protests.  Sharing a knowing look with Aigis and Amanda, the twins nodded their silent approval to the proposed plan, which only worried the rest of them for some reason.

Seeing their matching expressions, Amanda started forward, with Aigis trailing a step or two behind her.  “While it’s a well established rumor of what happens to those that choose to face the fog, what happens from here on out is under strict lock and key.  You’ll….understand soon enough.”

“This is gonna suck, isn’t it?” Akira asked rhetorically.

“Oh yes.” Semaf agreed full heartedly.

 **End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _Welcome back to our latest chapter of madness. I do apologize for the delay, but there were some problems on my side of the world that prevented me from writing this chapter alongside my friend earlier. Rest assured I still very much enjoy writing this story, just as I still very much enjoy playing Persona 5, seriously it's still totally addicting. Hope you are all happy with the fact that they now get back into asskicking territory._

 **_Vergil1989:_ ** _It didn’t help any that we started writing a couple other stories at the same time.  Still, we never forgot this one, and we had every intention of getting back to our combined world of Personas, Shadows, Reapers, and worse lol.  We’ve already one of our plot threads, the others will come in due course, but we have OFFICIALLY gotten the story going at last.  Well, technically we had already, but the plot at least is now taking off, even if we’ve only hinted at it up until now.  At any rate, take care guys and gals and as always, seize the day, come what may.  ; D_


	12. Fog Shrouded Truths

**Chapter 12**

**Fog Shrouded Truths**

 

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan  Kirishima Island, Narukami Dorms**

**Date:  Fri, April 16th, 2182.  Afternoon Sunny**

“This is ridiculous.” Sojiro declared and lowered the datapad he had just read.  On its surface displayed the latest general news, and to say that he was concerned would have been a massive understatement.  “Rioters meet with the quarians that were peacefully protesting, attack them, and now the local police are surprised that they don’t take that lying down when the quarians retaliate?  What are they thinking?”

“It’s no different than some of the hate related crimes we had back home, except now they’re actual aliens rather than members of our own species.”  Sae replied without looking up from the stack of legal case studies she had in front of her, one hand cradling the cup of hot steaming coffee Sojiro had given her earlier as she went.  “But I agree with you, it’s rather pathetic and sad that some things have been so slow to change, even among the other aliens that are so common place in this time period.”

“What I don’t get is why they aren't reacting accordingly?” The older man muttered angrily. “The quarians get attacked, and yet they’re treated like they started everything in the first place!  Haven't they had enough trouble already?”

“I’m sorry to say, but I think they don't particularly care about the quarian people.” Sae observed with a deep sigh. “I’ve already read through dozens of case files, and there is a clear distinction between council member species, member species, and of course those that don’t hold any standing within Citadel Space.  Quarians are just above the vorcha in that regard, and from what I’ve been able to tell, it’s because the Council themselves spread a number of propaganda stories and rumors after the now space faring people lost their home world to an AI construct called the geth.  A construct the quarians themselves created.”

“So you’re telling me that, not only have these poor people lost their home, but that the rest of the galaxy hates them for a mistake?!”  Sojiro could only shake his head in disgust at the whole thing.  “And the asari, turians, and salarians have the gall to call themselves the top three species of the known galaxy.”

“They  _ have  _ kept the peace, mostly, I have to admit that much.” Sae concluded as she read through another datapad. “But… I’m concerned as well. Not so much about the fact that humanity has yet to gain a council seat, we  _ are  _ relatively new to the galactic stage after all, having only been out here for a few decades at most, but… let’s take the elcor for example.  They’ve been a part of Citadel Space for centuries, and yet they are no closer to a council seat now than they were before. I cannot help but think that such behaviour doesn’t reflect well on the council itself.”

“You think they don't want to share their power with even more people?” Sojiro questioned with a grimace on his face.

“It’s a possibility.” Sae admitted with a hint of hesitation present in her voice.

“Great.” Sojiro grumbled and took a sip of his own coffee. “Better not tell the kids about this anytime soon. I don't know about you, but I don't want to see a change of heart in anyone half as important just yet.”

“Do you really think we can keep this from them?” The former prosecutor asked, rather amused by the notion if the smile on her face was anything to go by. “Your own daughter was instrumental in dismantling the fake Medjed, and even before she joined them, they had a knack for getting the intel they needed with very little trouble.”

“Ugh… they’re already on the case aren’t they?”  Sojiro groaned in defeat since he couldn’t argue against the woman’s well founded logic.

“Most likely.” Sae agreed, still smiling and chuckled. “I certainly wouldn't be surprised if Makoto would either confront me about this, or try to keep this secret, at least until a solid plan had been decided upon.  I suppose I’ll find out this evening.”  Taking another sip from her glass, Sae let a contented hum escape her as she glanced up at the nearby holoscreen, before she tapped at the omni-tool on her arm to turn up the volume.

“Hmm?  What’s got your interest?”

“A suspected, so far unconvicted, mass murderer from the Relay 314 incident.  Hopefully they finally find the bastard.”  Sae explained before she held up a hand to silence any further inquiries from the former cafe owner.

“Another gruesome murder.” The woman on the holographic screen declared seriously. “As before the victims are turians, a family of three, their alarm disabled without leaving any trace of the deed.  Officers suggest that the murderer has military training, though have thus far been unable to identify a suspect. The police requests the help of the citizens and asks them to contact them if they possess any information that could lead to the arrest of the person responsible.  This is Diana Allers, reporting for ANN’s the Battlespace.”

With a soft growl, Sae lowered the volume again, and clenched her fists. “New age, same old problems.”  She spat, eyes narrowed in anger.  “This is the fourth murder I’ve heard about, and they’ve been all perpetrated by the same person, or group as far as I could conclude.”  One hand balled into a bloodless fist in her lap as she began to go over the details. “The victims are always ex-military, always a family more often than not with at least one child, and they always leave no survivors.”

“Yeesh.  That’s downright chilling.”

“It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, being a public prosecutor for as long as I was, I saw a lot of bad things in my time, but there’s something particularly appalling about serial killers like this individual who have no qualms about murdering children as well as the adults.”

“Is there any connection between the victims?  Anything you could work out?  You were after all one of the best, weren’t you?”

Sae grimaced and looked away from Sojiro at that.  “Tsk, I suppose so, but I also employed methods unworthy of a civil servant, as you no doubt remember.”

“True, but even so, you’re better than you give yourself credit for Sae.  It takes a certain kind of cunning to have half a successful career as yours, even if yes some of your cases weren’t on the up and up.”  Sojiro replied, having more faith in her capabilities than she felt she deserved.

“Then I’m afraid I have to disappoint you in this instance. I checked every record I currently have access to, which admittedly is rather limited, but aside from the fact that they were all military once, there is no connection. They weren’t even apart of Shanxi, their units weren’t deployed alongside one another, there is nothing that they have in common aside from their military service, their species and the fact that they have families… its killing for the sake of killing.”

“Maybe it’s enough that they’re turian and have a military record?”  Sojiro offered, and couldn’t help but smile when something dawned on Sae because she perked up.

“Hold on.”  Picking up one of her long since set aside data pads, Sae raised an eyebrow when she found what she was looking for, which she quickly tapped into her omni-tool before picking up the next in the same stack.  By data pad five, Sojiro had a feeling he knew what she was noting down.  “If I’m reading these in the right order, there’s a distinguishable path he’s following, a pattern that at first seemed completely random because he was going in the reverse of where the war started, backtracking the turian ships’ flight paths as they moved into our territory.  He’s working his way backwards from Shanxi, and I’d be willing to bet credits I know where he’ll be next.”

“How do you figure?”  He asked, almost as excited as Sae now looked.

“Shanxi was the first and last planet the turians attacked during the Relay 314 incident, but they had to assemble their forces at various stations, outposts, and colonies.  The turians are nothing if not thorough and meticulous about their military protocols, so it wouldn’t take much for someone dedicated to their twisted cause to backtrace their routes to Shanxi, picking one they liked, and hunting down those same turians they deem worthy of their hatred.”

“Okay… I’m with you that far, but how did you figure out the next planet then? You didn’t look through turian, whatever protocols.”

“No, but I checked every planet in the extranet and went from there to their next shipyard, staging areas, fortress world, whatever you want to call them.” Sae explained with a frown as she began chewing on her lower lip worriedly. “I can’t guarantee it’s one hundred percent accurate though, and… it’s an entire planet.  There are billions of people in a single system, milions on even one colony.  I can at least try to warn them, but if they believe me… or if they even can prevent it from happening again is another matter entirely but… I’d rather try and fail then sit by and do nothing while men, women and children are slaughtered.  Humans, turians, or something else altogether, I don’t care because I can’t turn my back on something like this.”

“Hold on, there might be a way to narrow it down a bit.”  Sae quirked an eyebrow at that as Sojiro picked up one of the datapads and displayed one of the turian victims’ service record.  “I might not be the smartest person, at least not when compared to Futaba or Wakaba, but does that look like he’s got enough medals on his chest to give him back problems for the rest of his life?”

“Hmm…”  Quickly going through the other commanders, generals, and the like, Sae blushed when she realized there was more to be found after all that she’d nearly overlooked.  “Son of a-you’re right Sojiro.  All of them were highly decorated, the leaders of their respective ships, units, even a fleet admiral is here!  Damn, how’d I miss that?!”

“Hey, I was just impressed you were able to find a trail at all Sae, a pattern to this madness.”

“Well, if this is indeed a trail worth pursuing, you might have just given me the means to much better narrow down where this individual might strike next.  It’s going to take me time to verify, but hopefully we’ll have aided in the apprehension of this monster.”  Her stack of case files forgotten for the moment, Sae’s fingers were already flying over the omni-tool on her arm as she began to run a search for any well known officers on the next planet in line, hoping she’d get lucky to find one that fit the pattern.   


“Wouldn't that be nice?” He mused and stroked his chin. “And we didn't even have to jump headfirst into danger either, I’d say those youngsters can still learn a thing or two from us.”

“Indeed.”  Sae chuckled, a thin but still present smile on her lips as she continued to run her search.  “Kinda wish I had Ms. Shirogane to help me with this in all honesty.”   
  
“That old and actually honest detective ace?”

“The very same.  The original ‘detetive prince’ and as far as I know, that’s where the similarities between her and Akechi end.” Sae remarked with a nod. “Unless she was killing people in her spare time as well.”

“Heh, I doubt it.”  Sojiro stated with such certainty, Sae had to look away from her omni-tool in curiosity, which he was happy to satiate.  “I always had a weird feeling around Akechi, but the few times I heard Naoto’s name pop up, I felt like I could trust her sound judgments and deductive reasoning.  It also helped she wasn’t an attention seeker like your former ‘partner’ though.”

“Hmm, indeed.  I also heard a rumor that one of her grandchildren was present within the halls of this school.  If that’s true, it’d certainly support your theory Sojiro.”

“Hmm, if there is one of her descendants and he inherited her brains, you could try to see what he thinks of our littler theory.” Sojiro suggested and made to take another sip only to notice that he had already emptied his cup.

“Can't hurt to try.” Sae agreed and threw another look at the datapad before her. “Under different circumstances I also would have suggested Akira.  He’s rather intelligent himself to put it mildly, but I think he has enough to worry about at the present time.”

“Yeah…”  Sojiro agreed as he got up to get himself a fresh cup of his coffee.  “Well, I can ask around, see if we can’t find ya a sidekick of your own Sae, one that hopefully won’t turn out to be bad news.”

“That’d be appreciated, although you don’t give yourself enough credit either.”  Sojiro chuckled at having his own remark turned back around as Sae smiled, grateful for his help and his kindness in equal measure.  “You might have missed your calling by going into the cafe business as you did.”

“Hehe, sorry but no, I’m not cut out for all this detective work Sae-san.” Sojiro replied with a gruff smile. “I think I much prefer my work in Leblanc, at least I can say that I know my coffee.”

“Just Sae is fine.” She assured him with a light laugh. “And speaking of coffee.” She said and lifted her empty cup. “I would love to have a refill.”

“Coming right up!” He happily assured her and went to work, glad to leave the thoughts of mass murderers behind.

**Elsewhere….**

Walking into the dorms behind Amanda and Aigis, Akira didn’t say a word when the current head of the Kirijo group pulled something from beneath her bodysuit.  A key, attached to a silver chain, but unlike the key to the Velvet Room he’d gotten used to carrying around, this one felt….strange, well, stranger at least, as she continued towards an elevator next to two flights of stairs that led to the higher floors of the academy.  Focusing his gaze on the object that now dangled from around Amanda’s neck, he couldn’t help but notice that the aura around the key was...gray, like it was trying to obscure its own presence even from his ‘Third Eye’, yet there was something strangely feminine in the way the curves and whirls accentuated the key, carved from what looked like ancient bamboo.

With a shake of her head when his friends started to board the elevator, Amanda slid the key into a lock below the holographic controls, she pushed the Stop button to keep the doors open.  “Only Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana should come beyond this point since you’ve been with him since the beginning.”

“Pardon me for saying so,” Haru began as she squeezed into the large, red velvet covered elevator beside Aigis, “but after he was nearly ‘kidnapped’, I think I speak for everyone when I say we’re not going anywhere without him again.”

“Indeed.”  Yusuke agreed without missing a beat as he and the rest of the group followed her example.

Akira for his part only smiled and shrugged his shoulders, as helpless to dissuade them as Amanda was.  “They’ve voted in favor of following me to Hell and back it seems.”  Aigis smiled at the softly sarcastic remark while Amanda sighed but nodded her head in acceptance.

“Very well, but I will not abide any interference once this begins, and neither will  _ she  _ unless things begin to go poorly.” Amanda warned them sternly as she gazed at each of them with the threat of repercussions clear in her eyes.

“Interference? Such as beating my Shadow into submission?” Akira asked jovially and raised an eyebrow. “We’ve heard other students talking about something like that, about facing one’s self in the fog.  They didn’t go into details, but it’s easy enough to figure out.”

“Ugh….I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised some people can’t help but gossip despite a strict request not to.”  Amanda grumbled, but didn’t bother stressing about it further.  “Yes, you’re not wrong, but simply hearing about it and enduring the process you’re about to undertake are rarely the same thing.  Having all of your darkest desires and secrets laid bare, twisted by your Shadow self as it vomits forth everything you’ve only dared think about, it’s not an easy thing to go through for anyone.”

“Is that how you were able to get your Persona, Lady Kirijo?”  Morgana asked, which Aigis translated before Akira could do so himself.

“Yes.”  Was all she’d say on the matter as the elevator doors opened then before she started forward into a darkened corridor, a number of display cases on either side, the items held within sealed behind bulletproof glass and kinetic barriers.  “It turns out being the head of the Kirijo Group might afford me near unlimited resources and allies across the galaxy, but I felt it was a gilded cage.  It was only my perspective on the matter, despite having been assured I could do anything I desired by my parents, but I had gotten it into my head I  _ needed  _ to take over despite what I’d be giving up in the process.  A chance at a ‘normal’ life.  At some point, what I wanted became the very thing I began to hate, made worse by the fact my Persona refused to manifest.  Then I came down here.”  She paused then, and nodded her head towards a series of gun like objects on display with a name and a holographic representation of those that had once held them.  “The original Evokers, of which my grandmother’s number among them, but this isn’t what helped me change my outlook so dramatically.”

She gave them a moment to absorb the history literally laid out before them though, knowing they had met Mitsuru Kirijo shortly before making the journey here, and to see her gun but not the woman herself outside of a miniaturized copy made from hard light was no doubt hard to swallow for some of them.  While they took their time to process what she was showing them, her own gaze turned to the end of the corridor, past the katana that Yu had once wielded to strike down a goddess, past the photographs and pictures of those he had gathered at his side, along with those that had come before during Minato’s time, before her gaze settled on the large, ancient flatscreen TV bolted to the far wall.

Even at this distance, Amanda could just make out the wisps of fog that pooled at the foot of the wall as it emanated from the bottom of the TV screen.  There was no danger here, she knew that, but when she felt Aigis over her right shoulder, Amanda released the breath she’d been unconsciously holding and relaxed somewhat from her mere presence.  As necessary as it’d been for her to have faced herself, Amanda didn’t envy anyone that  _ chose  _ to subject themselves to what Akira was planning to endure.

“So what? We gonna throw Joker into a TV?” Ryuji asked, clearly confused and scratched his head. “You know I don’t get how that’s supposed to work, but that never stopped me before so what the hell are we waiting for?”

“I have a proposal!” Morgana declared and looked at Amanda seriously. “Let’s throw Ryuji in first, just to make sure that it works.”

“That won’t be necessary.”  Aigis said and smiled even as Ryuji made to kick Morgana across the hall.  An attack he didn’t follow through with, which was smart on his part because Morgana had positioned himself in front of another display case, this one holding a shield like weapon and a picture of Kanji Tatsumi with his equally massive Persona standing over his powerfully built physique.  “But if you don’t have a Persona or at the very least aren’t on the verge of obtaining one, you wouldn’t be able to open the gateway.”

“So that’s part of the reason why one of you must be present then.”  Yusuke stated, to which both Amanda and Aigis nodded at his quick deduction.

“There’s also the possibility things go wrong and a senior or member of the staff has to step in to protect the one undergoing the trial, but that indeed plays a part of why we never allow just anyone this far unattended.”

“And who will be able to see and hear what my Shadow says?” Akira asked and turned to regard Amanda. “I’m sure you can imagine that I’d like to avoid unnecessary attention.”

“Says the show-off.”  Futaba mock whispered and hid behind Yusuke even as she pointed her finger at the artist in an attempt to shift the blame onto him.

Amanda smiled at their antics but was just as quick to return to the matter at hand as she soon stood in front of the large flatscreen before them, her hand just shy of touching the blank screen.  “Only those who cross over, now that the Midnight Channel is no longer an issue, will be able to hear anything that happens on the other side.  There are often groups of young children with one of the eternal guardians of the world on the other side, but they won’t be allowed to stay where we’re going.”

“Well, no time like the present.”  Akira stated, and nodded for Amanda to open the way.  With a solemn nod back, she pressed the palm of her hand against the screen, and it promptly sunk three inches past as the surface acted like the surface of a pond, rippling outward from where her hand now rested beneath the screen.  Daring to put his own hand on the screen, Akira raised an eyebrow when he felt...nothing when his fingers pushed past the screen itself.  “Huh, I expect-”

Amanda didn’t react when Akira was yanked right off his feet and he was pulled right through the screen with a quickly cut off gasp of surprise his only protest.  She simply stood aside as the rest of the group charged through the open gateway, sharing a knowing smile with Aigis who only rolled her eyes since they both knew they’d regret jumping in after their leader when they landed on the other side.  Following after the rest of the Thieves, Amanda and Aigis were unsurprised to find them sprawled out on their backs or laid out on their fronts, some of them having landed on top of their fellows.  “You coulda said there’d be such a long drop.”  Ann grumbled as she rubbed the small of her back as she stood with a pained groan escaping her lips.

“You didn’t give us time to say anything.”  Aigis softly replied, her lips twitching as she tried to keep her amusement contained.

“Ggggtttt mmpphht!”  A voice groaned from beneath Ryuji as he flopped his arms over his head with a groan.

“I think I broke my ass…..and now it’s groaning?  Wait, where’s Morgana?!”  Ryuji shouted as he sat up and frantically looked around their immediate surroundings.

He had his answer when Morgana managed to wriggle his head out from beneath the blonde with a loud gasp as he sucked down air like it was going out of style.  “I said get off me!  You landed on me, you vulgar ape!”

“And they’re back at it.” Futaba declared as she watched the two of them descending into one of their shouting matches.

“Nevermind that, where’s Akira?” Ann asked worriedly and looked around.

“Behind you.” Their leader answered calmly and chuckled as he stood, a beautiful field of flowers at his feet.  “Just had to dodge otherwise you would have landed right on top of me… also to whoever pulled me in, that was just rude.”

“That’s all you gotta say to that?!”  Ryuji demanded to know as he and Morgana ceased their aggression for the moment.

“I’m withholding judgement for the moment.”  Akira replied with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants, his gaze settling on the rest of the flower covered field they seemed to have landed in, the sound of a distant, pleasantly bubbling brook off in the distance.  “But whoever controls this place….it’s a very nostalgic feeling.  Pleasant even.”

“You’re hardly the only person to say that Mr. Kurusu.”  Amanda stated as she started to walk, her path taking her right past a large sakura tree, its pink flower strewn branches heavy and glistening with dew from a recent rainfall.  “Come, we’ve a bit of a walk ahead of us.  And if you see a creature in what looks like a red, blue, and white bear costume, he’s harmless I assure you.  He’s simply one of the guardians of this place I mentioned and he has a fondness for the children of the academy, but given his own childlike demeanor, that’s to be expected I suppose.”

“Huh, and here I was thinking Mona was strange.” Ryuji declared as his gaze wandered about. “Still, guess its good to know that not everything in this weird world wants to hurt us.”

“Well he IS a Shadow,” Aigis informed them, but smiled fondly despite having just admitted as much, “but he’s unique in that he has a very human like heart despite this fact.”

“Huh, we were talking about something similar with Semaf.” Makoto remembered before she blushed sheepishly. “Well… before we attacked him.”

“Ah, thank you for reminding me Ms. Niijima, I will have to remember to discipline him later.” Amanda mused with a devilish smile. “He really should know better.”

“You’re clearly enjoying the prospect I see.”  A quietly smirking Yusuke asked, to which Amanda’s smile widened in response.  “Heh, good to know you have a sense of humor after all.”

“I can’t always be the most mature person in the room.”  Was her simple reply to that as they came upon the entrance to what Akira took to be a shrine of some kind as they soon stood before a red rectangular archway nestled between two large upright boulders, ringed with strings of charm paper.  Beyond the arch, fog roiled and covered almost everything before them, obscuring the immediate area to the point they could only see about a dozen feet ahead of them.  No longer smiling, Amanda slowly crossed the threshold, her gaze fixed forward, as if afraid she’d see something she shouldn’t if she looked around too much.  “This is the beginning of her domain, what happens here depends on how well you accept what you’re confronted with once things start.”

Akira didn't hesitate to step through the entrance as well, nodding at Amanda seriously as he did so before he turned around to regard his friends. “Guess this is the last chance for you guys to turn back.”

“As if we would let you face this alone.” Haru told him fiercely, a determined look on her face. “You’ve always been there for us, now let us return the favour.”

“Took the words right out of my mouth Haru.”  Ann replied as she too wore a matching, grim expression, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

“For real?  You still worried about lettin’ your dirty laundry out to dry with us around ya dude?  Please, we’ve seen all kinds of sick shit since starting this adventure of ours.”  Ryuji added as he crossed his arms over his chest before casually waving one hand dismissively over one shoulder.  “And it’s not like you can surprise us at this point, so let’s get this over with Joker.”

When the rest of the group shouted out statements along the same lines, Akira could only smile and nod, grateful beyond what he could ever truly express for their continued support.  “No time like the present then.”  He murmured, and followed after Aigis and Amanda as the former appeared the picture of poise and calm while the latter seemed to grow more and more uncomfortable the further into the fog they went.  Not afraid, Akira noted, just uncomfortable, no doubt brought on by her own experience in this place.

It didn't take long for the fog to completely surround them, even at close range they had trouble seeing one another. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he hadn't re-awakened to his Persona yet, but to Akira it felt as if the mist was seeping into his pores, stealing the warmth of his body and leaving him shivering.  He was starting to feel tired, and his head had started to ache.  Whatever this fog was, it was making it hard to concentrate.

“You okay?” Ann asked as she stepped close to him a concerned frown on her face, one hand coming up as if to touch him before hurriedly withdrawing.

“Just… cold.” Akira replied back with a grateful smile. “This fog is kinda weird.”

“It’s not normal fog.”  Morgana stated, confirming what they’d already begun to suspect.  “If this fog does what I imagine it does, then it makes sense if you’re starting to feel tired and exhausted.  It’s trying to draw out your hidden, darkest thoughts and give them a physical form, reshaping the landscape to reflect your psyche, except it’s being restricted to some extent by whoever controls it.”

“Whoa, you can sense all that Mona?”  Asked an impressed Futaba as she glanced at her right arm in puzzlement.  “I’m not getting anything like that, but on the other hand, my specialty’s more tech based examination.”

“Which means since Mona’s unique, even by our standards, it stands to reason he’d be more sensitive to such things.”  Yusuke mused with a sage nod of his head.

“Naturally.” Morgana declared haughtily and jumped upwards to climb onto Akira’s shoulder.  “I am the best there is after all.”

“And humble as well.” Akira snarked in mock agreement as he scratched the cat on his shoulder between his ears.

“Of course, I- Wait… what is that feeling?” Morgana murmured as he started to look around nervously.  His head jerked forward, his hackles around his neck and back standing straight up as he gave an uncomfortable hiss, “there’s something….ancient out there, just in front of us!  She’s old….powerful, scary powerful in fact.”

“He’s right!!”  Futaba cried out as Prometheus sent the equivalent of a mental alarm to the hacker’s psyche.  “Massive energy signature detected, I’m talking Yaldabaoth big, bigger even.”

“Kusumi-No-Okami.”  Amanda stated as the fog, as if summoned by her very words, parted before them, and revealed a large stone coffin beneath an impressively large tree with pale white flowers hanging from every branch.  A single string of charms was wrapped around the ancient, massive dark brown trunk, but it was the figure floating a foot off the ground in a pale gray cloak, her back to them, that had Amanda’s attention.  “You know why we’re here.”

“Of course I know, moron.”  The cloaked figure grumbled, her voice unmistakably feminine.

“Uh… not what I was expecting.” Ryuji muttered and scratched the back of his head. “Just making sure, you seem to know her and all but… you sure she isn’t in the need of a Sinful Shell?”

He immediately regretted his choice of words when the cloaked figure turned around, and Ryuji gasped and jerked back when he saw one of her eyes was far from normal.  “If you try that shit on me, you’ll regret it you bleach blonde jackass.”  The pale green, rippling orb that fell on him left Ryuji with the distinct impression she was stripping him down to the bones without ever laying a hand on him.  “Ryuji Sakamoto, psh, stupid name for a stupid ape, at least you did something worthwhile when you took Kamoshida down a couple pegs.”

“She’s seriously creepy!” Ryuji declared, utterly freaked out. “Can anybody please answer me? Because right now I’m all for letting Joker loose on her.”

“Thanks Ryuji.” Akira noted dryly and sighed. “Always nice to get volunteered for even more fights.”

“Marie.”  Aigis softly addressed the ominous woman before them.

“Yeah yeah I know.”  Marie sighed and waved a hand, her feet touching the ground a few seconds later.  Now that she wasn’t floating in the air, she didn’t seem quite as intimidating.  “You don’t come down here often enough, you know?  I get bored, so when I finally get company that doesn’t come up to my waist, I can’t help but play up the whole scary goddess image you warn everyone about.”

“Bet the children love that.” Akira noted wryly and took a step forward. “At any rate, I’m Akira Kurusu.  It’s very nice to meet you, miss scary goddess Marie.”

“Troll.”  Marie grinned despite the reprimanding tone in her voice.  “You’re certainly unique, even for a holder of the same power  _ he  _ had.”  She mused, letting her mismatched eyes sweep over him.  “Satanael huh?  You certainly don't screw around do you?”

“Well when an evil god tries to erase you from reality… it gets kind of hard not to take that seriously.”

“Tsk, Yaldabaoth, what an overblown assbag.”

“I think I like her.” Ann said softly which earned her a grin from the rest of the Thieves.

“So you’re here to get your power back, and since Margaret kicking the shit out of you didn’t work out, and Semaf’s little ploy ended up with you as the bait, you came to me.”  Marie said as she crossed her arms over her covered chest, her rippling green eye morphing into a much more mundane brown, matching her left when she merely blinked.  “As the creator of the fog, and an aspect of Izanami-No-Okami, you certainly came to the right place.”

“Well, I suppose I could try to get beaten up more by Margaret and see if that helps, but I admit that I’m somewhat impatient.” Akira confessed freely and cocked his head. “So, here I am.”

“And here you are.”  She agreed before nodding her head, her hands reaching up to pull her low riding hood back before she shook out her dark brown locks so they fell more eveningly over her small shoulders.  “Since you’re already aware of what’s expected to happen, I won’t waste my breath explaining things.  My only advice I can give is to be honest with yourself, if nothing else.  If your Shadow goes apeshit, it’ll be up to your friends to restrain it before it can kill you, and it will certainly try if it goes berserk because you refuse to accept it.”

“Great, I’ve always wanted to face my darker impulses incarnate in mortal combat.” Akira muttered but nodded at the goddess, somewhat, seriously. “I’ll try to avoid doing that then.”

“That’s what they always say.”  Marie replied, no longer smiling as she stepped back before she promptly disappeared into the fog, dissolving right into the cloying substance on every side.  Akira didn’t move even as Amanda and Aigis beckoned his companions to back up a bit, which they did with great reluctance.  Despite having disappeared, he could feel Marie, or Kusumi’s, presence, her gaze still heavy upon his back.  “Yet without fail, even the Fools find it hard to accept what they try so hard to hide even from themselves.”

“Heh.”  Akira grimaced as he heard an all too familiar voice just behind him. Slowly, almost carefully, he turned around to face… himself, the Shadow in front of him had the same clothes he had, and aside from the glowing yellow eyes and the aggressive expression on its face, it seemed to be practically indistinguishable. “I am a Shadow, the true self.”

Akira said nothing and merely stared his doppelganger in the eye with a neutral expression on his face.

“What's the matter?  Usually you always have a line ready, even when you considered putting a bullet in Akechi’s head.”  The Shadow declared gleefully. “You really hated his guts, you were even happy when he finally bit the dust.”

“You… you’re right.  I despised him.” Akira admitted and clenched his fists. “All the things he did… and why? Because he wasn’t wanted?  _ I  _ wasn’t wanted either!  My parents made that quite clear early on in the mess that started with Shido, where before they were happy to largely stick to their far more important jobs.  When my grandparents were still around, it was them that raised me, but I didn’t complain much.  I figured my parents were doing important work, or at least were trying to make sure I had a good life, but as I grew older, I learned better.” He paused for a moment and took a deep, steadying breath that did little to help calm him down.  “And then I saved a random stranger from being assaulted, and they didn’t even try to fight the decision, hell they straight up told me that all they ever wanted from me was not to complicate their life… which I didn’t until that point, so now that I had… well they were all too eager to get rid of me.  But that doesn’t give me the right to kill others, Akechi had a choice, and his mad ravings… I hate to admit it, but that could have been me.  When I realized that, I wanted to do nothing more but to kill him, not out of hatred, but fear.  Fear of looking at what I almost became, what I still could….”

“Hmph, so you say.” Shadow-Akira muttered as its grin grew in size. “And yet, despite all you’ve seen, you still refuse to trust others.  Only your friends are an exception, and even they knew little about your home life up until now.”

“I-”

“Even now you’re plagued by thoughts about how the woman you helped turned on you, how Mishima leaked your criminal record, how all of society was all too happy to make you the scapegoat… no good deed goes unpunished, eh, Joker?  Even your codename is a farce, a mask you hide behind as surely as the one you tore off that first time.” His Shadow revealed with a relish. “Even now, in this different time, you don't trust them.  This Kirijo group is something to be observed, to be wary of, a tool to be used but not to be trusted!”

“It’s true.” Akira whispered weakly, and shook his head as his shoulders began to shake with almost mad laughter.  “I… I can’t trust others… not anymore.  Ann, Ryuji, Makoto, Haru, Futaba, Yusuke and Morgana, you all have been with me through hell and back, the others such as Takemi and Sojiro and even Sae have shown me that I could trust them, that in turn they also trusted me, but… strangers… I know some people say strangers are friends you just haven’t met yet, but for me, every stranger is a potential enemy, someone to be wary of, and the more they seem to know about me and want to get close to me the more wary I become.” As he said his last sentence, he openly looked at Amanda but couldn’t meet her gaze.  “I try not to let this control me but it’s… difficult finding a balance.”  If she took offense, she didn’t visibly react save to run her hand through her hair so that it fell back across one shoulder.

“Balance?  Control?” His Shadow spat and took a threatening step forward. “You’ve never had balance! There’s no control with you!  You’re far too scared for either!  Didn’t you wake up, everyday, for the last two years fearing that all your adventures were nothing but a dream?  That you would never see them again?  That all you had gained within the span of a year would be lost in a fraction of that time?  Admit it, you’re nothing!  You’re just a scared boy clinging to the broken pieces of a life that is so pathetic that he can't even admit it to himself!”

Akira fell to his knees, breathing heavily, fist hitting the soft ground before him as he choked out. “I  _ was  _ nothing… when I was sent from home… I was leaving nothing but an empty space, I had nothing holding me there.  Ryuji was the first friend I ever made… the people at Shujin… they treated me like a psychopath, but at least they acknowledged I was there, and not just part of the scenery.”  Slowly looking up into his doppelganger’s face, Akira pushed himself up to his feet, tears in his eyes but his face was set in a determined scowl.  “Even now I’m terrified of losing them, of pushing them away, but right now they’re still with me, and I will fight till the very end and beyond to keep it that way. So,  _ NO, _ you are not my true self!  You are the doubts that plague my mind, the weaknesses of my heart, you are a part of me, but you will never be the true me.”

“And you were doing so well.”  Shadow-Akira cackled as jet black particles began to be absorbed into his body.  “You’re at least right about one thing though, I’m no longer you!  I’m my own self now Joker!”

“I have a question for you though.” Akira said and took a step forward towards his Shadow even as it began to glow with a dark, malevolent light as it continued to absorb more dark shadow essence into itself.  “If you are the true me, and all you have said, is true, then answer me this. If we’re really this broken, and this distrusting and this afraid, then why do we still try?”

Everyone could only stare as the Shadow stopped glowing, and the power it’d begun to absorb stopped flowing into its body as it returned to a much more mundane appearance.  “...”

“You’re not me, just as I’m not you, but I’m not me without you, just as you’re not yourself without me. We cannot be separated to be who we are.  So we exist together, even if we might not even like one another.”

“Dude, you’re a jackass.”  Akira had all of two seconds to see Ryuji swinging a fist right towards his face before he was sprawled out on his butt in the fog covered grass.  “Broken my ass.  Hell, compared to the rest of us, you’re probably the most sane person in our little traveling freakshow.”

“That says more about you than me.” Akira replied almost reflexively while he rubbed his aching jaw. “Also, ow.”

“Not the time, dude.” Ryuji grumbled and stomped angrily on the ground. “Look, what I’m trying to say is that I’d be concerned if you didn’t have a few screws loose after all that shit you went through.  You’ve been tortured and drugged by the police, damnit! If that doesn’t mess with your head then what will?”

“And not trusting anyone you randomly bump into?  That’s not surprising either.”  Ann called out as she soon stood beside Akira.  “We’ve seen exactly how many people’s distorted desires, fought for our very lives in how many Palaces, and you think you’re the only one having trouble trusting people or accepting all that’s happened?  I’d be worried if you  _ were  _ alright with everything we’ve gone through, but don’t think for a moment you’re the only one that expects to wake up one morning and come to the terrible realization all this has been one giant delusion or something.” As he opened his mouth to speak, she gave him a light slap to the back of his head. “And no smartass remarks for a change!”

“Ow, stop beating me.” He muttered instead and glanced around, wondering if there was something in the fog that made people want to hurt him.  As he glanced around, he swore he could see his Shadow shrugging at him, as if to tell him ‘I’ve got no idea either’.

He didn’t get a chance to wonder before Yusuke stepped forward next with Morgana clambering into his lap about the same time.  “You helped so many people and wanted so little for yourself, Akira.”  Yusuke began, purposely using his real name he was sure before the artist continued, letting his words sink in so there was no confusion as to his intent.  “It’s rather fitting, someone who could connect to so many, to ease their burdens in even small ways, would have so many problems of his own.  For the longest time I wondered, but I could never prove it, if you were hiding behind that confident aura you seemed to exude with every breath, and now I know.  And if anything, knowing this now, it makes you even easier to emphasize with rather than harder as you might’ve believed even if you never wanted to admit it.”

“No one likes a perfect hero.”  Makoto softly added, which Morgana nodded his head in abject agreement with.

“Mmmhhhmmm, Queen’s right Joker.  Besides, it was pretty moronic of you to try and hide things from me. I lived with you after all, even after you went back to your hometown.” Morgana reminded him and sat down in front of him, tail swishing from one side to the other. “I could see that you were unhappy, but even I didn't know that you had this much trouble, so next time I won't respect your privacy! I’ll simply open every lock I find in my search for answers! And if that doesn’t work, I’ll needle you till you tell me.”

“Thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” Morgana replied imperiously and strutted of, head held high. “If any of you want to hit him, you can now do so.”

“Hey!”

“Stupid.” Futaba declared once Morgana had sat down next to Ryuji’s feet, and hit Akira on the top of his head. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!” Each hit was accompanied by a half-hearted “ow” from Akira. “Why didn’t you tell us?  I could have totally done something!”  Futaba shouted at him even as she continued to hit him. “Like you did for me, for us!  Why didn’t you let me help, Akira?!”

“I- I honestly didn't think there was a way for you to do so… not without getting you guys into trouble….well, more trouble anyway.  I didn’t want that, for any of you.”

“Stupid!”  Futaba declared once again and hit him once more. “You total… numbskull! We don't want that for you either! Think of us for a change!”

“That’s kinda why he didn’t Futaba-chan.”  Makoto replied, understanding where Akira was coming from as she too approached the pair of Akiras, his Shadow having remained unmoving since their little group intervention began.  “That doesn’t make it right however.”

“He just has to think better then!” Futaba muttered, and sat down next to Akira and looked up at him, an adorable pouty expression on her face. “Tell us next time, promise?”

“I promise.” Akira said and held out his pinky to her.

“Then it’s a deal!” Futaba exclaimed cheerfully and jumped up. “Okay, Queen, you can chew him out now.”

Makoto chuckled but smiled approvingly at the long brunette haired girl before none too gently clamping a hand down on Akira’s shoulder.  The wince he let cross his face wasn’t quite as half hearted or feigned this time, but Akira didn’t protest or try to wriggle free.  “Unlike Futaba, if you decide to try and carry all of that around on your own shoulders again, I won’t think twice about knocking some real sense into you.  And you know how hard I can punch.”

“Oh we know.”  Shadow-Akira grimaced while the real Akira visibly shuddered.

“Great, now we’re getting sassed by his Shadow.”  Ryuji muttered.

Ignoring Ryuji’s remark, too focused on Akira as she knelt down in the grass beside him, the hand on his shoulder loosening its grip just enough that it no longer hurt.  “Good, because in case you forgot, let me remind you that Ann, Ryuji, Futaba, and myself have been in similar situations as you.”

“I’m sorry.” Akira told her softly and met her gaze head on. “I know, that you know, why I did what I did, but at the time it seemed to make sense. Now though…”

“I know exactly what you mean.” Makoto assured him and took a step to the side to reveal Haru as the smaller girl knelt next to him.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered softly.  “You’ve done so much for me, but I never noticed how many problems you had, I never helped you with them as you did for me-”

“That wasn’t your fault.” He cut in quickly. “After all, I was trying to keep all this hidden from you guys.”

“Great strategy, well thought out.” His Shadow chimed in from the side even as Akira sent a glare his way.

“Not helping.”

“I know.”

“Uh… can we get back on track, please?” Haru requested firmly and started at the two of them as they nodded at her to continue. “That said, I  _ am  _ disappointed that you didn't tell us! You should have known better, didn’t you always tell us to take care of ourselves? How can we do that if our leader doesn’t follow his own advice?”  She demanded to know and leaned forward. “Don't ever do that again. Remember, I do have a huge axe.”

“That you do.”  Akira agreed and sighed, a soft, sad smile on his face as he wiped his eyes dry before he slowly pushed himself to his feet.  Staring at his Shadow, neither at first said anything, but when he did speak, his voice started off soft as a whisper.  “And now I have a better appreciation as to why even our formidable hostess didn’t seem eager to come back down here.  Facing yourself truly is quite a challenge.”

“Indeed.”  His Shadow replied with a nod of his head.  “We’re not perfect.”

“We never pretended we were, but admitting it aloud….not following our own advice we gave so freely, I see now I was premature in making light of this.  It seems arrogance as well as our issues are also something we need to work on.” Akira mused as he looked at his Shadow with a soft smile. “So… want to hit me as well? Seems rather popular these days.”

“That won’t be necessary, and we both know it.”  Shadow-Akira replied, no longer giving off a malevolent aura.  If anything, he gave off a sense of nearing peaceful serenity as it approached so that they were eye to eye.  “They aren’t wrong you know.  We’ve been through Hell yet we kept it so well contained they never knew how far our wounds ran.”

“Pretty dumb, huh?”

“Well… we  _ are _ Fools.” His Shadow allowed with a smirk. “Still, let’s make sure that we don’t worry them again, they don’t deserve that… and I’d rather not have Makoto slap some sense into us.”

“You’re not letting that one go anytime soon, huh?” Makoto grumbled off to the side.

“Nope.”  Both Akiras replied at the same time before the real Akira held out his hand to his Shadow.  “You’re me after all.”

“And I’m you.”  His Shadow replied and grasped the offered limb moments before he began to glow a pale blue from head to toe.  The light became so great that everyone save Akira had to shield their eyes.

“Akira!” Ann shouted, alarmed and took a step closer despite having to hold an arm over her face until the light began to fade.  “Are you alright? And no lies this time!”

Akira stood with his back to her as his shoulders slowly began to shake with laughter, before it broke loose sounding truly maddened. “Unlimited power!” He cackled as blue flames began to dance around him before both his laughter and the flames abruptly stopped.  Spinning on his heel, he flashed the rest of his team a truly grateful smile, even through the mischief dancing in his eyes it was easy to see he meant what soon followed.  “Yeah, I’m good, better than ever even.”  Letting his head fall, he sighed and ran a hand down his face before saying, “I guess it’s true what they say, it’s far harder to lead by example than people realize.  I might not have asked to become what I have, being our immovable center, the one you all came to when you needed a hand, but I was glad….glad to have that connection, to have had such a meaningful impact with you all even if all I did was smile and listen to your problems, never even thinking I should do the same.”

“Damn right ya should’ve, ya jerk.”  Ryuji grumbled but was soon grinning despite his effort to maintain his angry veneer.

“You can make up for it with fatty tuna and sushi.” Morgana informed him with glinting eyes. “Lots of them.”

“My wallet will hate you but I’ll see what I can do.”  Akira promised, his gaze having since fallen on Ann.  With a mental shake of his head, he smiled but made a silent promise to himself to finally take the chance, soon, instead turning to Aigis and Amanda.

Before he could begin to say a word, Amanda merely smiled and shook her head at his expected apology.  “Don’t.  It’s hardly necessary, and honestly, I’m not at all surprised you don’t trust my generosity.  Given your history Mr. Kurusu, it’s all too understandable that you’d find me suspect, but I hope now you’re able to at least begin to see that I am as I’ve always been thus far.”

“I think… I can say that I don't distrust you _ that _ much anymore.” Akira told her with a guilty shrug. “I’ll try my best to keep an open mind, but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m somewhat paranoid… though… Lavenza and Margaret seem to trust you, so let’s just say that you don’t have to expect tr-... too much trouble from me.”

“Heh, I can work with that.”  Amanda replied as a slow, approving smirk appeared on her face just as Marie stepped out of the fog as if she’d been there that whole time.  “Thank you, for your help in this endeavor Kusumi-No-Okami.”

“Ugh, I hate that damn name, even if that IS my real name.”  Marie grumbled but bowed her head towards the woman.  “As for helping that jackass get his head together, I’ll admit, it was rather fun for a change, not having to deal with a Shadow going completely berserk as it does nearly every single damn time.”

“Perhaps they take after you in temperament, oh moody goddess.” Akira suggested innocently. “Still, thank you, even though you called me a jackass, and you weren’t very hospitable, and were grouchy the whole time, the list goes on but still, thanks.”

“Yep, still a troll.”  Marie grumbled, but she was just as quickly smiling approvingly towards him.  “You might not be like any Fool that’s come before, but you wear the title well, Akira.”  When Satanael, while far smaller than it’d been when they’d fought Yaldabaoth, appeared over a noticeably more still and calm Akira, Marie’s smile became much more open and warm at the sight.  “A Demon Lord for a Phantom Thief, the perfect combination against a would be god.  No wonder that assbag never had a chance, but you weren’t alone then, and you aren’t alone now.”

“Something that should’ve been obvious to me.”  Akira agreed before he bowed his head respectfully towards Marie, grateful for her help even if she’d only shown him the way.

“Yeah yeah yeah you’re grateful and all that, now go.  I have other things to do then playing around with you brats.”

“Such as writing depressing poetry?” Amanda asked lowly from the side and received a glare from the goddess.

“Tsk, you can go as well, I’ve got enough problems without you adding to them!”  The stream of colorful curses that followed only made Amanda smile as she started away before Marie fell suddenly silent.  Glancing over her shoulder, she was the last to see the curious pair of brown eyes attached to a young girl as she wrapped her little arms around Marie’s waist.  “Oh hey,” Marie calmed and smiled fondly down at the girl, “don’t worry I didn’t forget.”

“You’re late!”  The girl pouted, her bottom lip quivering.  “You promised Marie-chan.”

“Blame them, not me.”  She playfully protested but ran a hand over the girl’s head.  “Just give me a moment while I deal with those….stupid jellymuffins.”

“Jellymuffins?” Makoto mouthed confused while the rest of the group couldn’t help but smile at the ‘insult’.

The girl was much happier whatever the case, and said as much.  “Yay!  I’ll tell Nana-chan since she sent me to find you.”

“Of course she did, she’s just as persistent as Yu ever was.”  Marie grumbled, but the smile on her face turned far more matronly.  “Between her and her cousin Seja, I swear I’m cursed with too many da-...darned Narukamis and Amagis.”

“Then we’ll take our leave.” Akira told her with a wide grin. “Do try and be less grouchy with the children.” Ignoring her eye roll, he nodded to the rest of his team as they turned around and left her realm behind, Amanda following them at a slightly slower pace.  “Well, that happened.”

“Only you would say something like that about what we just went through.”  Ann muttered, the annoyed if amused glare on her face all too easy to see.

“Don't tell me you want to hit me again?” Akira asked her, eyes wide in mock fear. “You are so violent Takamaki-san.”

“Oh shut up.” She grumbled with a smile and shook her head at his antics. “But… how do we get out of here?”

Akira could only shrug his shoulders uncertainty.  “No idea, figured I’d start by looking for a yellow brick road.”

“A what?” Morgana asked confused and looked at their leader like he’d just grown a second head.

“I believe it was an allusion to the movie called The Wizard of Oz.” Yusuke noted neutrally as he walked beside Haru.  “I remember watching it once while I was still in Madarame's care.”  Much to their pleasant surprise, they heard Aigis, who’d remained quiet for some time, start to hum one of the songs portrayed in the old classic.  “You’re also a fan?”

“I’ve had many years to catch up on human literature and cinema references, but for some reason I always seemed to enjoy the whimsical tale of a young girl and her dog just trying to find their way home.  In a way, I wasn’t so different.”

“You’ll have to show me that movie some time, Fox.” Haru requested as she looked up at Yusuke and smiled.

Yusuke was more than happy to agree with the suggestion.  “It’d be my absolute pleasure, Haru.”

Getting back to their world was as simple as stepping through a similarly sized TV screen nestled against the side of a rock outcropping, a large, majestic waterfall only a stone’s throw away.  The next few hours were a pleasant blur as the rest of their classes were quickly knocked out, which finds Akira in the dorm lounge, a stack of homework assignments to go through with the rest of his friends on every side.

Nodding towards Sae, her omni-tool up by her ear as she talked to someone on the other end, Akira’s just about to address a curiously excited Sojiro when something on the nearby holoscreen catches his attention.  Without a word needing to be said, Futaba bumps up the volume while the rest of the group close enough to notice right away fall silent.  The smoke and fire in the background from a nearby building clued them in that it wasn’t going to be a pleasant news report.

“Another attack by radicals on aliens that have chosen to live here on Earth, the Terra Firma Party denies any involvement even though their leader, Charles Saracino, said that actions such as these are inevitable to preserve the individuality of human culture, and that alien influence of any kind must be fought.  While this is hardly a new argument made by many who see alien integration as a possible threat, ever since Mr. Saracino took charge of the group, there’s been a marked rise in incidents of this nature across the galaxy, with the majority being orchestrated here in the birthplace of humanity.  But despite repeated attempts in the past to push for charges for being complicit in what many call acts of terrorism, any case made against Saracino has had a tendency to fall apart, leaving many to wonder just how far his reach extends.”

“What’re you thinking?” Sojiro asked, somewhat alarmed when the look he saw in the eyes of the Phantom Thieves began to remind him of sharks that had smelled blood.

Holding up a single finger to forestall further questions, Akira lifted his omni-tool and opened up the menu only to find a black and red eye motif glaring back at him. Without hesitation, he pressed it and spoke clearly. “Charles Saracino.”

“ **Match found** .” The app replied monotonously as he lifted his eyes to stare right in Sojiro’s with a confident grin.

“I think, the hunt is on.”

**End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _ And that was Chapter 12 of our little, crazy crossover between Persona and Mass Effect. We set up a few things that are kinda relevant in the future, also dished out a bit of mental trauma, snarky Shadows, moody goddesses, reliable teammates, and everything in between. Oh, and we got a potential first target for our legendary Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Wonder what his Palace could look like? At any rate I hope you enjoyed our latests bound of us being us. _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  Considering Charles Saracino is a known xenophobe, racist, and a known public figure, (kinda like our current President ‘cough cough’), it’s reasonable to assume he’s going to be on everyone’s mind once and if they’re able to shut his Palace down and steal his distorted desires.  But it’ll also be a challenge for them to get close enough to the man given he’s likely always got a large group of loyal if foolish followers on every side at all hours of the day.  Not that that’s stopped them before, but this is a very different time period, their actions will have far more reaching repercussions once things start moving along.  Either way, enjoy the show folks and we’ll see ya soon! _


	13. Terra Firma Boogaloo

**Chapter 13**

**Terra Firma Boogaloo**

 

**Location:  New York, New York City**

**Date:  Saturday, April 24th, 2182.  Morning Sunny**

Holding onto the restraints wrapped securely around his waist and chest, Akira looked relaxed and half asleep despite the soft rocking of the Kodiak shuttle he, Ahsan, and the rest of the Thieves were taking to downtown New York.  Given their shared success in getting their Personas back at last a little over a week ago, Amanda had felt it prudent they accompanied the man to try and persuade someone that’d been manifesting strange disturbances, while also investigating rumors of something amiss with one of the quarian protesters that was now in a coma in a turian ran hospital.

“We’re almost there Ahsan-san,” their pilot, Nanako Amagi, called as long nimble fingers manipulated the controls of the shuttle with the skill of a master pianist, “another….five minutes and we’ll be landing in JFK Intergalactic.  You might want to get your team ready to move.”

“We’re ready.” Akira remarked with a smirk as he pulled on his red leather gloves, the only thing missing from his Phantom Thief attire was the mask due to it drawing more attention than necessary. “Anything we should know about? Expected resistance, complications?”

“None that we’re aware of… not that that means much.” Ahsan conceded with an uncomfortable shrug. “Still, we’re not here to start a fight.  We only want to gather some information about the quarian while we’re trying to find the potential Persona User, and hopefully convince her to join the academy.”

“Got it.” Akira acknowledged before he turned to the rest of his team. “Oracle, I want you to start datamining, leave no stone unturned.” The look he sent her clearly said that he also wanted her to keep an eye out for information about Saracino. “Skull, I want you on standby, no offense but you’re not exactly diplomatic most of the time. Mona, you’re with me, stay in cat form unless we get attacked, and be prepared to scout ahead of us.  No one will pay too much attention to a cat after all.”

“What do you want me to do, Joker?” Queen asked from her position opposite of him and looked at him seriously.

“I want you to shadow us from a distance, keep a look out for anyone suspicious and be prepared to back us up in case we need help. Panther, Fox, Noir, you’re with Queen.” Joker ordered, easily falling back into his position of leader.  Unlike before, he already seemed noticeably calmer, if only a little, and more trusting of even them as he felt rather than saw the shuttle had begun to descend as Nanako made their final approach.  “Ms. Amagi, Ahsan, where are we to rendezvous?”

“There’s a hotel not far from the shuttlebay.”  She replied as she glanced over one shoulder without ever letting the shuttle wobble, giving them an idea of just how skilled she was.  “It’s under our mutual friends’ control so you should be safe to come and go so long as you don’t make any waves.”

“Good to know.” He replied with a smile. “Oracle, you take position near it in your search, retreat there if things get too hot.  I’ll send Skull to back you up if necessary, otherwise Skull you’re to remain close to me and Mona but hang back a bit.”

“Sure thing, Joker.” Skull agreed easily and shrugged. “Not that good at sales speeches anyway.”

“You’re being a little overprepared,” Ahsan mused but didn’t otherwise protest their caution, far more fascinated with how they operated in any event, “but even I don’t know what might happen once we make contact with the currently untested Persona User.  It’s not uncommon for them to have violent bursts of uncontrolled power when they’re about to manifest, making their Persona nearly as dangerous as any Shadow if they lose control.”

“What should we do if that happens?” Ann asked concerned and looked at Ahsan in worry. “I don’t like the idea of subduing someone just because they can’t control their powers yet… it doesn’t seem right.”

“The alternative’s far worse.”  Replied a solemn faced Ahsan.  “While it’s rare, with the reports of strange occurrences around this individual, it’s likely they’re already on the verge of awakening with or without our help.  Either way, a berserk Persona can only be stopped by the death of the User or by beating down the Persona itself so that they can regain control.  I’d rather avoid the former at all costs, so in that we agree Ms. Takamaki, but if she does lose what control she has left, we won’t have a choice but to beat her Persona down.  Doing so won’t do any lasting damage to her though, I promise.”

“Al-alright.”  While it was clear she still didn’t like the idea, Ann sighed and let it go even as she looked towards the duffel bag that held her own costume.  Only Joker had felt the need to wear his, but all of them had been given a near perfect copy of their respective clothing they’d worn in the Metaverse, along with the masks to accompany them.  It felt strangely comforting despite the overly sexual nature of her old outfit, to have her skintight latex catsuit back in her possession in this world as well as the Metaverse.  “Ya know Joker, I’m still surprised you were able to get our own costumes together like this.”

“Thank Ahsan, he was the one that did all the work.”  Akira replied but smiled appreciatively as the shuttle touched down a split second later.  The seat restraints disengaged, and they were soon gathering their bags before disembarking the shuttle.  Finding himself standing next to Nanako, a tall, slender woman with pale white skin and shortly cropped brunette hair, save for the long braid that went down to the small of her back, he nodded his thanks to the amber eyed young woman as he caught sight of her Persona.  “Thanks for the ride out here Ms. Amagi.”

“That’s Nanako to you Akira, and don’t act like you can’t see what’s over my shoulder.”  She chuckled, but smiled as she too slung a heavy duffel bag onto her back which she’d pulled out from beneath her pilot’s chair.  “It was either Justice, the Hierophant, the High Priestess, or the Fool in my case, but I could never turn a blind eye to certain things.  That you were all too happy to volunteer for this mission when Amanda asked makes me wonder what injustice you’ve got your eyes on.”  When he only smiled mysteriously in response, Nanako smirked, unsurprised he was being coy even as she saw a flicker of surprise at her perceptive analysis of his person.  “I know enough about the Phantom Thieves of Hearts to know you’re not here just to recruit some poor soul to the school’s ranks.”

“Well, to be fair we don't mind doing so.” Akira replied easily and chuckled. “Though I suppose we have some additional incentive to be here as well.”

Crossing her arms over her flight suit, Nanako sighed but smirked a little wider even as she asked the question she knew the answer to. “That's all you’re gonna say?”

“Pretty much, yeah.” He confirmed shamelessly and winked at her. “The rest is a secret.”

“You’ll forgive me if I keep an eye on the news over the next couple of weeks.  I have a funny feeling a once thought dead group of mysterious thieves will be making a comeback.”  Nanako stated, enjoying the back and forth between them even though Akira had danced around her pointed questions.

“Whatever gave you  _ that _ idea?” He asked her innocently and blinked. “I assure you, our intentions are noble. We would never do something deplorable.”

“That I believe.”  She replied, the certainty in her voice impossible to miss as Ahsan, having since pulled up in a seemingly innocuous dark blue van, gave the pair curious glances which she waved off once he’d opened the passenger side doors for them all.  “We’re just talking about the strange rumors going around about possible Thief sightings.”

“Ah...I see.”  Ahsan chuckled knowingly, the look on his scarred face making it clear he had his own suspicions about why the entirety of the Thieves had decided to help in this endeavor.  Waiting until everyone had settled into their seats, Ahsan easily navigated the van into the mile high traffic lanes.

“Aww man, I would love to drive this myself.” Ryuji mused even as he groaned and flopped back into his seat. “But I always crash in the simulator, I think Queen and Noir are the only ones that have gotten it this far.”

“The simulators are rigged!” Morgana exclaimed moodily, tail waving angrily around. “I can’t even look through the window because it’s so high up!”

“No offense Mona,” Makoto began, “but I don’t think anyone thought a cat would be trying to drive a vehicle in  _ any  _ time period.”

“I’ll show them!” Mona declared and nodded his head in determination. “If I can't drive them then I’ll simply turn into a better car than them!”

“Is your cat always this vocal?”  Asked a clueless Nanako as she peered at the strange black tabby currently yowling angrily towards the group.

“Nah, today is one of his good days.” Skull couldn't help but needle with a smirk. “Seriously though… you think you can do it? That would be awesome, we could finally fly around!”

“Oh, I would like to see that as well!” Noir agreed happily.

“Perhaps that will prevent me from getting carsick again.” Fox mused to himself. “I have yet to experience such discomfort in vehicles of this nature.”

“I certainly hope so.” Panther agreed and looked at her teammate with sympathy. “I don't think any of us could help but worry about you, each time you had… an episode.”

“Yeah, for real, I mean you’re pale enough as it is without getting sick dude.” Ryuji agreed and nodded at Morgana. “Now we only have to wait for Mona to figure it out and then we can really floor it.”

“Hear that, Mona?” Akira asked with a wry grin. “Shouldn’t be hard for someone like you after all… though if it helps, I’ll gladly donate some tuna to the effort.”

That got the cat’s attention as he grinned widely up at Joker, his blue eyes gleaming with determination.  “Oh you’re on Joker!  I’m gonna do it just so you have to pay up!”

“I should probably start looking for a part-time job.” Their leader mused with a shrug. “Or we beat up Shadows and sell whatever they were carrying around with them, some of them were surprisingly wealthy.”

“That’s no surprise.”  Ahsan added as he shared a knowing look with the rest of them.  “Some of our best operatives have made a fortune in selling Shadow loot.”  It was about that moment that he pulled into a parking deck, and was soon landing the van in an empty space.  “And we’re here.  I’ll send directions to your omni-tools as to where to meet when we’re ready to make contact with our potential User, but for now, the morning’s yours to do as you wish.  I do however ask that if you  _ do  _ pursue….other things, you don’t draw any unwanted attention towards the group you now represent even if you aren’t officially a part of it just yet.”

“Oh don’t worry.” Akira smirked, eyes glinting with mischief. “We’re pretty good at staying undetected.”

“Why doesn't that comfort me?” Ahsan muttered and shared a quick glance with Nanako.

“It was the tone.” She helpfully supplied. “It just promises trouble later on.”

“Perceptive Ms. Amagi, but...well, I suppose it can’t be helped.”  Ahsan relented, but he was comforted somewhat when Akira’s smirk turned into a serious, grim line.

“We’ll be careful.”  He promised, a sentiment that was echoed by the rest of the group.

It didn’t take long for them to drag their travel bags to their room before they made their way out into the impressively large metropolis.  That they’d been able to get to North America’s shores so quickly was another marvel, but one that paled in comparison to the countless other things they’d seen since arriving in the current time period.  Checking the directions they’d downloaded for the New York branch of the Terra Firma ‘political group’, a name that might as well have been synonymous with terrorism as far as the Thieves were concerned, Akira was the first to sigh since they had a hell of a walk ahead of them.  “Might need to catch a cab.”

“A bus might be more appropriate given the size of our group.”  Yusuke was quick to point out.

It took some doing, but eventually they found a suitable ride to their destination.  Despite being crammed next to a krogan and an asari near the back row, Akira couldn’t help the little smile on his face as he looked to the back of Ann’s blonde head as she peered thoughtfully out the window at the city on either side.  “Ugh.  The human stinks.”  The krogan rumbled, earning a playful slap from the woman at his side.

“Be nice.  Love is universal you big oaf.” The asari beside him lightly admonished him with a fond smile on her face.

Turning his gaze away from Ann, Akira glanced up and offered the two a curious, “Hmm?”

Realizing they’d been overheard, the asari had the good grace to blush but smile before nodding her crested head towards the seat just in front of him.  “We were merely making an idle-”

“I said he stunk of mating hormones for the human in front of him.”  The krogan cut in.

“You can’t say things like that!” The asari hushed him hastily before an embarrassed chuckle escaped her. “I apologize, I’ve been trying to teach him to be more tactful but he still has the occasional bout of bluntness.

Akira shot a quick glance towards Ann and was relieved to see her deep in conversation with Makoto and Haru, oblivious to his exchange. He certainly wasn't planning to reveal his feelings to her in such a manner, of course the asari caught onto his relief.

“Oh! You haven't told her yet!” She whispered excitedly and swatted the krogan lightly before he could open his mouth. “Say no more my dear, we don’t want to ruin whatever plans he might have.”

“Hmm fine, though I still don’t understand why he can’t just march up a-”

“Shh, I know, I know I’ll explain later.”  She promised, and while Akira was glad the rest of the trip he was left alone, he still couldn’t help but smile at incredibly mismatched pair of aliens.  He was happy to see that some people defied the rules of what society deemed appropriate while still thriving in the process.  Too often personal happiness had to be sacrificed in order to fulfill some expectation, so he was glad that the two aliens were able to avoid that.

“You okay dude?” Ryuji asked him suddenly from the seat across the aisle. “You looking awfully dreamy there.”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He assured him with a nod. “Just thinking.”

“I bet, another no good politician, huh?” Ryuji continued as he glanced at Akira out of the corner of his eyes. “Certainly not the first we’ve met… makes you wonder if they’re all like that.”

“No.” Akira was quick to object. “Not all of them.”  His mind drifted to Toranosuke Yoshida, a man that, despite having been a part of a big scandal, had refused to give in and had continued to better himself so that he might do better in the future. He was a man that Akira wouldn't hesitate to call a friend, and also someone he respected from the bottom of his heart.  Tora had been a shining example of a good politician despite his rocky start, and if he could be a decent person, then chances were good there were others in the political world that shared his passion and drive for wanting to make a truly better society for  _ everyone _ .  “We’ll meet at the peak, my friend. I promise.” He whispered softly to himself all too aware that in this time his friend was long dead.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when the bus finally stopped at their destination.  Without a word, the group disembarked, with Mona once more clambering aboard Akira’s shoulder, their gaze riveted to the large megachurch complex where it was known Terra Firma gathered for regular meetings.  Using his Third Eye out of sheer curiosity, he wasn’t surprised when he didn’t see anything amiss despite the large crowd that were already making their way inside.  He did however spot at least one individual he suspected was an undercover officer with the way he moved with a purpose, and was quick to inform the others before leading the way inside.

If he had been at all worried about his thieves outfit standing out, Akira would’ve relaxed upon seeing some of the crazy fashion choices some people had adopted in this time period.  Synth leather seemed to be a thing for people their age, but beyond the varying shades of black, red, purple, and more, he was far more interested in the fact there were so many people all in support of the same thing even if there were no doubt varying degrees of individual support and dedication to their chosen cause.

“They all support Terra Firma?” Ann whispered and looked around. “I’d have thought that most people would be overjoyed to find aliens that want to live in peace with us.”

“It didn’t start as a racist movement.”  Futaba explained with a shrug. “They just wanted to preserve human individuality and culture, but… times change… like my mom’s research.”

“I don’t care what you call it,” Ryuji spat out a little too loudly for Makoto’s taste as she glared at him to keep it down, a look he chose to ignore, “fear mongering is still fear mongering.”

“Well, let’s hear what they have to say.” Makoto suggested far more calmly than the blonde. “I hope that they’ve got more to say than mere dressed up hate speeches though.”

Deciding to push his way closer to the front, Akira couldn’t help but notice that, despite the very large church they were standing in, the building itself was old.  Older than he’d expected, and in all honesty, a bit drab and decrepit.  There were certainly enough people here to make a small army as they sat down in row upon row of chairs and from the second and third floor theater like seating upon some activity at the large center stage along the back wall of the main assembly hall, but to look at the building itself, it seemed like a glaring contradiction for some reason he couldn’t put his finger on.  Perhaps all of the money Terra Firma likely had at their disposal was being used elsewhere, assuming they had half as much support as Futaba’s research had so far revealed.  Something was up, that much he knew for sure.

And then Charles Saracino himself took the stage to deafening, thunderous applause.  Akira raised an eyebrow, surprised the man looked….well, just like anyone else he might’ve seen on a street corner.  Having expected a man in a perfectly fitted black suit and tie made from the softest material money could buy, he was disappointed yet intrigued to see a plainly dressed man with jet black, closely cropped hair and a light, stubble covered chin.  Light blue eyes and a welcoming, inviting smile on his face might’ve fooled most everyone else, but Akira couldn’t help but see something in the man’s face that screamed danger to him.  He was a snake in the shape of a human being, or Akira would eat his gloves.

A dozen hovering camera drones descended from the ceiling as Charles tapped at a wireless clip on mic attached to his black T-shirt.  “Everyone hear me alright folks?”  He smiled a little wider when the crowd cheered in response.

“Futaba, how are your lessons?” Akira asked her out of the corner of his mouth, making it clear he was talking about her hacking lessons above all else.

Her confidence was more than a little reassuring when she replied with, “Tell me what you want and I’ll do it, hehe.”

“Tap into those cameras and record the whole speech, there might be clues hidden in there… and see if you can tap into the secure channel for that undercover cop, let’s see what the authorities think they know about our friend here.”

“On it.” She promised him, her hands subtly dancing on her forearm, as if she were being merely impatient.  Actual physical keys hidden beneath the cloth made sure that no one was the wiser, but thanks to her glasses being tied to Prometheus, no one would ever know she wasn’t seeing the crowd anymore, but rather strings of code, data, and various camera feeds she quickly gained access to the more she idly ‘tapped’ at her shirt sleeve.  “This almost feels like cheating.”  She cackled softly as she continued to work her magic.  “I’m hacking reality and no one has a clue.”

“I’m glad you all had time to meet me here.” Saracino continued undeterred by their almost silent conversation. “I’m sure you all have enough worries already, what with people claiming we’re terrorists and hatemongers, but let me assure you that I certainly didn’t sanction any of these attacks, though can you blame them?”  Here some of the crowd stayed silent, or merely murmured while other roared in approval. “We are on the cradle of humanity, Earth,  _ our _ home, yet this paradise of creation is being sullied and diluted by the outside influence of these extraterrestrials! This is our world, our culture, yet they decide it fine to meddle with it however they like.  Is it hard not to lash out at such brazen disrespect, my friends?”  The murmuring grew louder still, much to Akira’s silent disgust, and a quick glance towards those on either side said they didn’t agree either.

“While I mourn for those lost to these blatant attacks done in our name, I don’t however believe they were not without cause.”  Ryuji scoffed quietly but otherwise remained silent as Charles went on.  “What the news won’t mention is that several of the victims had political ties to their respective alien governments, and that one of those that died from the bombing was a batarian who had made no secret as to what he thought of humanity in his misspent youth.” Angry murmurs were now echoing through the hall as Charles nodded in agreement. “I share your anger my friends, have the batarians not made clear almost from the start that they hated our very existence? That they would not hesitate to ruin our beloved Earth? To put this paradise among the stars to the torch just like they did to the colony on Mindoir?  I ask you this, is it not our right to defend ourselves against such aggression? Instead of bowing to ever new rule made by beings that have never even been here? That cannot even understand us?”

The crowd cheered in agreement, many beginning to shout xenophobic slogans.  The whole time the Phantom Thieves had to restrain themselves from showing their disgust too clearly, but anyone who looked their way simply assumed they were just as upset as the rest of them.  “In times such as these, I’d like to take a moment of contemplation and gaze into the past.” Saracina began with a wide smile. “To a time before humanity learned that it wasn't alone in the universe.  A time before we discovered the prothean ruins on Mars, before the Alliance itself.  There was a single man, an insignificant man at first glance, from a small island nation, but he had a dream.  A dream of human cooperation, a dream of what we could achieve if we worked together.  A man that, through his actions, made the discovery of the ruins possible in the first place, a man that laid the foundations of the Systems Alliance even if he did not live to see it, or even realized what he had set into motion with his simple desire to make the world a better place for all humanity.” Here he paused for dramatic effect and looked over the crowd to make sure he had captured the attention of everyone. “I’m certain you all know his name, for he’s well known in the history books, and no child can grow up without hearing his name once, Toranosuke Yoshida!”

Akira sucked in air as if he had just received a blow to his stomach.  He felt as if the world was spinning around him at the sudden revelation. He was dimly aware of Yusuke putting a hand on his shoulder to support him even if he did not hear the words his friend spoke to him.

“In this historical building, he met with ambassadors and heads of state of countless countries, and convinced them to begin to truly work together! He was a man truly ahead of his time, someone who recognized the greatness of humanity.”  Charles pushed on, unaware of the mental turmoil in Akira. “I believe… NO! I know, that if he were alive today he would be standing right beside me in my quest to protect our culture, our history, and our planet.  He would be at the forefront of the fight to push back these alien invaders no matter what shape their invasion happened to be.  He would fight, for all of humanity, so that we might remain pure!”

“That’s what you think.”  Akira growled through gritted teeth as his anger and outrage that piece of Shadow sludge could take Tora’s good name and use it like that.  But thankfully, his rage gave him clarity of thought and allowed Akira to decide on a course of action.  He couldn't stay here any longer, and without muttering a word, he whirled around and marched out of the building, anger and pure wrath bubbling directly beneath the surface. “How dare he.” He muttered angrily and shook his head. “ _ He _ would never stay by your side! He would be at the forefront of the fight, against  _ you _ !”

How no one outside of his friends noticed his angry mutterings against Charles, Akira would never know later, only that in that moment, he didn’t much care as he put some much needed distance between himself and Charles’ band of fanatics.  There’d been few individuals he had wanted nothing better than to make them confess their every sin with their own mouth, but after Charles had dared to desecrate Tora’s good name as he had, well….all bets were off now.  Lifting his gaze upward, he came to a stop in front of a small statue of the very man he had just thought about. “Heh, hello old friend.” He said quietly, and not without sadness for he knew that he would receive no answer even as he glanced at the plaque beneath its feet and what was written there. “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself - Joseph Campbell.” He read outloud and sighed. “Well, you have given your life for all, didn’t you, Tora? What more could anyone do? You’re a hero old friend, never let anyone tell you otherwise.”

“He’d be proud to know someone understands what he truly used to stand for.”  Looking up, Akira had expected one of his own, but instead could only blink when his gaze fell on an impressively tall woman, her arms crossed and her hip cocked to one side as she too stared at Tora’s old statue.  “Let me guess, you made the mistake of listening to that assbag’s speech in the nearby church didn’t you?”

“Well… I  _ had  _ hoped that perhaps it wouldn’t just be sugar coated racism.” He replied tiredly and turned his gaze back to the statue. “Seems like my expectations were too high.”

“Heh, I know what you mean, kiddo.  It figures that the day I have shoreleave, these morons camp in what many people argue is the birthplace of the Alliance, and a landmark I’d loved to visit.  Instead, someone beat me to it and decided to take a shit on the front lawn.” She complained with a shake of her head that sent her shoulder length red her spilling about her shoulders.  “Still, haven’t heard of anyone having the decency of storming out of political BS like that before, and for a dead man no less.”

“He deserves better.” Akira declared fiercely. “He had a rough start, a lot of opposition, but he made it work.  He’s given so much, and now some space racist claims that they’re alike? If I had stayed I would have beaten his smug face in.”

“You wouldn’t have been alone in that.”  The redhead murmured as she glanced towards her right hand which she only then let relax at her side.  “But with that many people in one place, we’d have likely not gotten close before being overrun.  Still tempted to give it a shot though.”  She grinned, earning an amused smirk from Akira as she put her hand on her hip now that it was no longer crossed over her chest.  “What’s your name kid?”

“Akira.” He replied with a shrug, still somewhat considering looking for a stone and throwing it into those pearly white teeth he had seen on stage.

If she noticed the way he was glaring at the building again, the redhead had the good sense not to let him dwell on it further.  “Huh.  Wasn’t there an old anime about a kid with psychic powers or something named Akira?  Meh, whatever, it’s still nice to meet ya.”

“And you? What's your name?” Akira asked, glad he had someone to distract him from his somewhat homicidal thoughts.

“Me?  I’m no one, I’m just a gal trying to enjoy a well deserved vacation.”

“Alright then, I’ll just have to call you… Diana Prince.”

“Smartass.”  She chuckled, but nodded approvingly all the same.  “Still, Wonder Woman had dark brown hair didn’t she?  I’m more of a M’gann M’orzz shade of red.”

“You’re asking the wrong guy.”  Akira grinned even as he cocked his head to the side, having a feeling he’d seen this woman before somewhere.  “I just have a few friends that were….obsessive, about DC and Marvel.”

“Nothing wrong with that if you ask me.  I had a stack of comics almost as tall as I am now I had found scavenging for credits in my old stomping grounds when I was half your size.”

“Ha, for some reason I have no trouble believing that.” He remarked somewhat amused by the notion of seeing the woman in front of him in miniature.  The image was further aided when her smirk turned increasingly playful as she held up a hand at about knee high for emphasis.  With a shake of his head, Akira sighed but smiled gratefully for her coming along when she had.  “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it, although I didn’t do much save act like a goof.”

“You cared, I wish I could say the same about more people.” He told her patiently.  “So, thanks for giving a damn.”

“Someone has to, or we’re all gonna end up screwed.  See ya around kid.”

“See you, and good luck finding your invisible jet in this maze.”  The deep, rich laughter that followed after the redhead was music to Akira’s ears as he watched her leave.  Despite feeling eyes upon him from his own friends, Joker didn’t immediately turn to address the palpable glee and amusement he felt from his companions, instead asking, “And how long were you spying on us?”

“Long enough.”  Futaba replied evenly, even as a playful smirk threatened to spill across her face.

“What did you do?”  Akira asked, intrigued more than upset when he saw the hacker’s barely contained delight a moment later. “And did you learn anything from out uniformed friend?”

“I might have sent a delayed order to the church’s network ran generators to overload and scare the Hell out of those racist jerks.” Futaba cackled with a little evil smile on her face. “Nothing dangerous, but it’ll be loud and scary. As for the cop… boooring, they’re only keeping an eye on him, can't prove anything but of course they’re suspicious, like that's gonna help.”

“Are you alright though Joker?”  Mona asked just as Ann stepped forward, the same question all too apparent on her face.

“Yeah, I’m okay now.”  He assured the pair, his gaze flicking towards the mysterious redhead had since disappeared around the block.  “I can’t help but wonder if I’ve seen her somewhere before.”

“Don’t look at me.” Ryuji was quick to say as he held up his hands. “I’m really not good with new people and their names or shit like that.”

“We’re aware of that.” Yusuke told him evenly as his gaze turned back to Akira. “Regardless of her identity I’m glad that she was able to help you, it must have been difficult hearing this…  _ person  _ talk about someone you admire in such a fashion though.”

“I didn’t even know the man personally,” Ann began, her left hand balled into a fist, “but even I know that scumbag wouldn’t know Tora’s truth even if it bit him in the ass.”

Akira let out a small laugh at that and put a hand on Ann’s shoulder, who stiffened at the sudden contact. “When we get back, I’ll introduce you to him, all of you. I think you’d like him.” He told them gently and chuckled. “Fair warning though, he figured out what I do in my free time, so don’t be too surprised when he mentions something to that effect.”

“As if that’d be surprising at this point.”  Ryuji grinned widely, “Hell, Mishima, Sae, and Sojiro still remember even if most everyone else forgot.  It only stands to reason anyone else you’d affected similarly could also remember all the strange crap that happened.”

“I wonder if Mishima-san wrote a book about our achievements like he said he would?”  Haru mused curiously as she stroked the bottom of her chin.

“That’d be….strange.”  Makoto shivered, unsure if she liked the idea of anyone having such information about their alter egos.

“Yeah, kinda.” Akira agreed as he slowly, almost reluctantly, removed his hand from Ann’s shoulder even as he noticed that the rest of the team was eying their interaction with rapt attention. Suppressing an eyeroll at their antics, he continued. “If he did I hope they haven't made a movie, that would be just too strange.”

“So you’re fine with Shadows, Personas, gods, and these blue chicks, but you draw the line at movies?” Ryuji asked him sceptically. “You are way too weird man.”

“I know.”  Akira replied, smirking over one shoulder as he led the way to a more quiet place that was still within easy walking distance of the megachurch building.  Once he was sure they had enough seclusion, he pulled up the Metaverse app once Futaba had fiddled with the local traffic and security cameras in the area, making it appear as if they had since moved on.  After being caught by Akechi that first time, he was in no hurry to have a repeat of that whole affair.  “Okay, what do we know about Charles Saracino?”  He asked once their privacy was assured outside of someone looking directly at them.

“Well, he’s got a pretty punchable face.” Ryuji offered with a shrug. “And he loves hearing himself talk.”

“I noticed that he always talked about human purity and Earth, as if they were almost something to be revered.” Makoto offered after a short moment of contemplation.

“He appears like an everyday person you’d find on the street, yet perhaps because of my association with Madarame, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was much more dangerous and insidious than he appeared.”  Yusuke offered next, and was slightly surprised when Akira and several others in their group nodded their agreement.  “I’m….relieved I’m not the only one that thought so.”  He admitted once he’d gotten over his surprise.

“I think he dresses like that to appeal to the common folk.” Ann offered and narrowed her eyes. “You know? Like he’s one of them and not above them, so that they feel at ease, at least that's what it felt like to me.” She offered hesitantly and bit her lower lip.” Aside from that… did anyone notice how he always compared Earth to a paradise that must be saved?”

Everyone gasped when the Metaverse app gave a soft chime and said,  **“Location and distortion established.  Beginning navigation.”**

“Wait what?!”  Haru cried out as the rest of them glanced down at the keywords emblazoned on Joker’s omni-tool.

“Subject’s Name:  Charles Saracino.  Location:  Earth.  Distortion:  Paradise.  We stumbled across his Palace that quick?!”  Ryuji stammered out as the immediate area around them began to undulate and change, as if they’d stepped into a roving heat haze that had decided to focus upon them.

The once tall and proud buildings around them shifted until they were nothing more but ruins in a desolate landscape.  The remains of walls and pillars sticking out of the ashen ground like monolithic bones even as the sky seemed to turn blood red, growing darker the farther one looked until the horizon was nothing but a line of the deepest black imaginable.  “Why do I get the feeling the entire world looks like this?”  Asked a quietly horrified Yusuke.

“Because it does.”  Morgana stated as he walked, upright and with his long scimitar against one shoulder, towards one of the ruined buildings.  “I’m willing to bet this is what Charles truly desires.  If my hunch is right, then we need to be looking for a walled off garden or some kind of isolated cityscape.”

“Like the Garden of Eden?” Akira questioned softly and shook his head. “Oh, the hubris.  Didn’t think we’d find someone that thought of themselves as a would be god or messiah.”

“Even my father wasn’t this bad.  It’s truly sad to see how far people can fall.” Haru agreed with a downcast look before her gaze hardened with determination. “Which is why we must steal his distorted desires without fail.”

“We’ll first need to locate the actual Palace, and then scout out the immediate area so we have an idea of what we’re dealing with.”  Makoto was quick to remind them before her ears perked up, having heard something off in the distance.  “Does anyone hear that?”

“It sounds like-”  Yusuke paused before he sucked in a sharp gasp.

“Wings.”  Akira stated flatly as a heavily armored angelic being, as tall as one of the buildings that yet still stood, flew off into the blood red sky. It was entirely clad in white plate armored that was adorned with golden patterns, its helmet hid his face though through the small slit left for the eyes they could see the very same blaze like two blue suns. As it rose higher into the air, they could better appreciate the radiant purity of its wings, their glow contrasting heavily with the darkened heavens above. In one of its hands it held an elegant silver spear that was just as long as its owner was tall. Its tip was leaf shaped and shone with the light of stars, acting as a beacon in this forsaken world.

“It’s my mother all over again, yeesh!”  Futaba cried out, unable to help but compare the gigantic cognition with the monstrous form her own ‘mother’ had taken within her Palace.  A quick scan with Prometheus, and the hacker nodded, having confirmed her suspicions.  “It’s just a Shadow, a very big, very powerful Shadow, but a Shadow.  It’s not the ruler for this place though.”

“Huh, so the guards appear as angels?” Akira mused and glanced down at his knife aptly called Paradise Lost.  Fitting, he couldn't help but muse that he would wield a weapon used to drive angels out of Paradise in the palace. “Still, let’s follow it.  If it’s on patrol, it should lead us back to its base, that being the palace.”  With a nod, the burst of flame and light as the rest his team and closest friends suited up for their latest heist was followed with them charging forward.

“Ah, it's good to be back.” Ryuji remarked as he rolled his shoulders while spinning the spike covered bat that was serving as his melee weapon, around.

“Speak for yourself, I still can't get used to this outfit.” Ann complained even as she tightened her grip on her whip in preparation.

“O-Oh my gosh! They are ginormous, Panther!” Futaba exclaimed surprised when she turned to regard their red clad teammate. “How much did they grow?”

“Wha- Where are you looking?!” Ann asked her, mortified, as she crossed her arms over her chest. Akira was certain he could feel a headache coming up that was only worsened by the glances of his other friends that apparently were curious how he would react to the news.

“Hmm.” Yusuke hummed softly as he walked closer towards Panther even as she glared at him, his eyes fixed on her chest in a manner that only he could pull of. “They’ve always been bountiful, but I believe you are correct. They’ve definitiv-”

“Guys… the shadow.” Akira was quick to point out, before this situation could escalate. “Also… Noir, once we’re out of here, could you please educate Fox on tact.  On second thought, include Oracle in the lesson as well.”

“I will, Joker.” The heiress assured him with a resolute nod.

“Let’s make this quick.” Makoto reminded them as she clenched her fists in preparation. “We’re supposed to meet up with Ahsan later today after all.”

“Good thing I still have a connection with his Persona.”  Futaba said with a shrug as she kept pace with Haru as they ran down the shadow covered ruins of the city street.

“Excellent.” Joker remarked with a satisfied grin. “Oracle, tell us if Ahsan needs us the moment you so much as think it's time, until then let's find our palace.”

“No problem.” Oracle assured him with a giggle. “Just follow the giant Shadow then.”

“That actually sounds like a rather questionable decision when you put it like that.” Fox remarked idly even as he nodded in agreement. “Let us do so.”

“Any of you guys ever feel like we’re a pile of freaks?” Ryuji asked them, his eyes never leaving the shape of the Angel.

“Sometimes.” Joker admitted with a wry grin. “And then I remember that I wouldn't want it any other way.”

“Well said.” Queen agreed with a light chuckle, beside her Noir was nodding her agreement. “But I do hope this Shadow won't lead us too far… with all this rubble we can't rely on Mona’s ability to turn into a car.”

“I’ll learn to fly in no time! Just you wait, then there will be nothing I can't do!” Said cat declared, determination shining in his blue eyes.

“Until then, we walk.” Noir observed and smiled at their feline team member. “I’m sure that even without turning into a flying car your help will be invaluable soon, Mona-chan.”

“Hehe, of course.” Morgana agreed and began to literally strut. “Come on guys, we haven't got all day.”

“Well, at least he’s fired up.” Ann noted with a sigh as she began to climb onto the hill of rubble that obstructed their path. The rest of the team close behind her, as she reached the summit she couldn't help but let out a shocked gasp. “What the-”

Joker would have asked her what was wrong if he didnt see it for himself. Outside the field of rubble that had once been a city, they could spot a glimmering, pearly white wall, and inside were gardens and buildings that had an otherworldly quality to them. Like they’d combined the aspects of science fiction and mythology into one structure.

“Welp, guess we found our ‘paradise’.” Skull remarked easily and clenched his teeth. “And I gotta say, it really pisses me off.”

“Oracle, can you tell us anything about it?” Queen asked Futaba even as her own eyes took in the sight before them.

“Well, there’s the usual Shadow activity that we always face in a palace… but there are two strong Shadows at the edge of it.” Oracle reported seriously and fell silent for a moment. “They seem to be outside, my guess they’re gatekeepers or something like that.”

“Alright, easy! Let’s beat them up and kick down the door.” Ryuji decided with a laugh and made his way down the hill again. “Come on guys.”

“Slow down, Skull.” Morgana reprimanded him. “Don't get cocky, we have no idea what changed since our time.”

“You both got a point.” Joker told them as he continued on and gestured to the Phantom Thieves to follow him. “We have to be careful, but at the same time Ryuji’s right, if they are gatekeepers we probably have to beat them to get inside, provided there isn't another way.”

“What's the plan if we have to engage them, Joker?” Queen asked as she fell into step beside him.

“We strike as one cohesive unit and attack both guardians at once.” He began as his feet whirled up the ashen like ground they walked upon. “We’ll go all out, overwhelming firepower, right now we only want to get in there and do a little recon, so we don't need to pace ourselves as much as we usually need to.”

“Understood.”

“Once we’re inside we’ll try to avoid conflict if at all possible.” Joker continued on, loud enough for all of them to hear. “Usual MO, one team moves ahead, the other one follows in their footsteps, Queen will lead the second team. We can later decide who goes with who, for now let's get there, check for entrances, and if needed, take out the gatekeepers.”  They gave their answer with one silent, determined nod before they went about their assigned tasks.

“Cameras detected.”  Futaba called through their shared connection the moment they got to the last bit of rubble between them and the giant wall in the distance.  A quick glance with his Third Eye, and Akira could see where the cameras’ field of vision originated from, making them much easier to spot.  That they seemed to be floating several feet away from the wall itself as the drone cams did their own patrol routes around set spots of the perimeter didn’t surprise him at this point.  “Charles sure isn’t messing around with security.  He’s got automated turrets, manned gun emplacements, and I’m pretty sure I can detect a high voltage energy field reinforced security checkpoint just beyond the main gates.  Even if we defeated the gatekeepers, we’d likely be taking the long way around.”

“There’s always a way around.”  Akira mused, and smirked victoriously when Ryuji tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to a small sewer grate within the shadow of another pile of rubble.  It was the dozens of feet of open ground that worried him since they’d be exposed until they got under cover again.  Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and he nodded for Ryuji to get ready for a run before turning to the rest of the Thieves.  “Sewer entrance, but we’ll have to be quick.”

They needed no further instruction than that as they waited for a lull in the patrolling drone cams.  “The problem with machines like those drones,” Futaba began as Prometheus formed around her, “is that they’re just like real machines in our world as far as the person’s cognition is concerned.  Which means….”  The smirk in her voice was palpable as three of the drones began to drop before they quietly landed on the outer wall, “they’re subject to the same rules, and a hack is still a hack!”

“Good job Oracle.”  Haru beamed.

“We have sixty seconds before they reactivate.”  Futaba informed them as Prometheus disappeared, letting her feet touch the ground once her Persona had gone completely.

“Let’s roll folks!”  Ryuji cheered before he took off like a shot. If anyone had had doubts that Ryuji had, once upon a time, been a star member of the track team, then those doubts would’ve been disabled in this instance. He raced far ahead of any of the others and had the time to turn around to look at them with a cocky smirk before any of the others reached him.  Bending down to grab the grate, Ryuji grimaced with effort before the sewer grate, old, rusty, and covered in who knew what, came loose with a soft screech that had all of their teeth on edge.  It was just in time because Akira didn’t wait to simply crouch down and walk through, he slid feet first through the opening with Mona hot on his heels followed closely by Makato and the rest with Ryuji looking stupidly down at the opening.  Only when Futaba and Haru had grabbed his feet and began to pull him through did he react with a yelp, his hands only letting go of the grate once he’d been yanked through.

“Ow….”  He groaned as his butt landed on unforgiving stone.  “Ya could’ve just yelled instead.”  He grumbled as he stared up at the sludge covered ceiling.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Joker wondered, sounding genuinely confused as he moved on. “Everyone okay?” His friends all gave a variety of positive responses as they began to trudge through the sewers.

“I so don't want to know what I’m stepping in here.” Skull mumbled, a statement that was echoed by everyone, especially Mona.  He gave a screech when his foot stepped down on something that snapped and crunched when he put his weight on whatever he’d stepped on beneath the sludge.  Lifting his boot away, Ryuji paled when he saw a pair of empty, bleach white eye sockets staring up at him, the skull he’d stepped on having cracked and splintered underfoot.  “Uh guys?”

“The bones of the dead.”  Makoto murmured uncomfortably.

“This is no mere sewage.” Fox declared as he gazed around, his eyes having adjusted to the dim light. “It’s just as much a grave.”

Queen knelt down to look at the various bones strewn out before them.  “None of them are human.” She concluded at last and looked up at the others. “Batarian, turian, krogan, I’d guess asari.  But no humans.”

“How can you tell?  Looks pretty human to me.” Ryuji asked and nodded to the skull she had identified as asari.

“Please, I’m trying to become a police commissioner, I read up on these things.”  Makoto grumbled before gingerly picking up the asari skull she’d found, and ran a black leather clad finger along the grooves that ran the length of the back of the head.  “Cartilage where the crests form, those ‘tentacle’ like extensions all asari have.  It’s a simple enough deduction to make from there.”

“Ah….right.  Also dude, this is F-ed up!”

“Charles is a known xenophobic racist, I get the feeling this is the least of our worries.”  Haru muttered uncomfortably as she started forward, having seen enough down already.  Finding a distant ladder across the slime covered center where the ‘refuse’ was being channeled away, she nimbly hopped across and started for the ladder with the others following close behind once Makoto had set the skull down.

“Let’s get out of here, we need to see just what we’re dealing with.” Joker concluded, his voice sounding harsher than intended in the face of such brutality.  Shido, even with all of his faults, hadn’t been quite this bad, then again, he might’ve become so given enough time.  Either way, Joker did his best to brace himself for whatever they found once Haru pushed the manhole cover aside and was quick to hold out a hand to them once she’d gotten her feet under her beside the exit point.  What they found was both unsurprising and far worse at the same time.

“No way.   _ This  _ is what that asshat thinks?!”  Ryuji cursed once he’d been able to find his voice.

“This is….well beyond mere distortion.”  Breathed an equally stunned Makoto as her hands clenched tightly into bloodless fists.

“And he has the gall to call himself a human being.”  Hissed Ann next while Akira simply stared, the fire in his eyes increasing with every new travesty his gaze fell upon.

“ _ Paradise _ ...don’t make me laugh.”  Yusuke growled, one hand gripped tightly around the hilt of his katana, itching to draw it on the first Shadow made the mistake of getting close.  “A paradise for only a few is no paradise at all.”

“It is for him.”  Haru stated flatly, just as affected as the rest of them, but she understood better than most what it was they were being confronted with.  “My father and Charles would’ve been two peas in a pod if this….place, is any indication.”

“As if we needed any further incentive to shut this Palace down.”  Mona hissed loudly.

On every side, on every street, and proudly displayed on every gigantic holo screen was further proof of Charles Saracino’s true thoughts and desires, and what a twisted mockery it proved to be. A paradise for humanity built upon the suffering of the other races.  They saw batarians being forced to do menial, disgusting labor as they lifelessly stared at the sludge they were being forced to shovel into a large drain pipe, disposing of more of their dead fellow aliens as well as actual bodily waste.  The holo screens declared new matches between the krogan and turian gladiators, others praised the fresh taste of hanar sushi, drell frog legs, or even elcor steaks. The revelation that one could even buy asari ‘toys’ did little more than to drive the point home.

The cognitive beings before them looked disturbingly real in the same sense the people inside Sae’s casino had. If they hadn’t known that this entire world was just a Palace, they might have mistaken the people in this city for real humans and aliens. The desolate, utterly hopelessness in the eyes of the batarians as they were worked to death, the brutish, frenzied anger of the krogan, the carnal, almost mindless lust that the scantily clad asari displayed, all of it seemed real as well as the decadence of the humans they could see on the street. And just as they thought things couldn't get any worse, they were promptly proven wrong by the proud declaration of one of the news screen that the feeble creatures, unworthy of life, the quarians, had been exterminated once and for all along with their hated geth.

“Let’s go find a safe room.” Akira whispered, voice tight with anger.  “We need a point to start our infiltration from, and if I stay here any longer, I might go on a rampage.”

“And we’d be right behind you.”  Futaba replied, just as disgusted and repulsed by everything as the rest of them he quickly noted.  Stalking off, Akira took a small measure of comfort in that as they quickly, and thankfully, found a small toolshed, that upon closer inspection, revealed itself to be a storage warehouse in the real world.

“Halt intruders!” A voice shouted behind them just as they were about to enter.  Slowly, almost threateningly they turned around to glare at the angelic guardian that had stopped them. “Who are you to intrude upon my master’s sanctuary in such a manner?”

A grin slowly spread across Akira’s face, followed by the rest of his team as he pulled out his knife. “Excellent timing.” Joker remarked as he twirled the blade in his hand. “Anyone want to join me?”

“Buddy, you really shoulda just minded your own business.”  Skull declared as he hefted his spike covered bat up to one shoulder with a maliciously gleeful grin spreading across his face at Joker’s invitation.

“How dare-?” The shadow didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before Joker suddenly appeared right in front of him and ripped his helmet off. Exploding into a mass of shadow sludge before stabilizing into three separate forms, which Akira absently minded identified as Archangel, the Shadows seemed surprised at the sudden action.  “What-” Paradise Lost, the wickedly curved dagger that had seen him through quite a bit, found its mark in the offender’s face before he disintegrated without a sound.

“Leave some for me!” Ryuji declared as he ran at another angel who seemed completely unprepared for people that were actually eager to beat them into submission.  So much so that he wasn’t able to get his long sword up in time to block the bat that Skull brought to bear, completely crushing its ornate helm and the ‘head’ beneath as the light left its glowing eyes in short order before the rest of the Shadow exploded into so much useless shadow stuff.

The third had only just enough time to raise its large tower shield, but Makoto was having none of it as she slammed one armored fist into the top of its shield after springing off the side of a wall for a little extra momentum.  Forced to stumble back, its shield arm was thrown wide, long enough for her to get in close to rain down blow after blow after blow into its chest, stomach, and face when its legs buckled.  “ **Anat** !”  She yelled, calling forth her Persona for the coup de grace that had what was left of her opponent turning into a nuclear ash cloud.

“Hmm, it appears that I lack a target of my own to vent my anger.” Fox mused as he stared at the spot where just moments before, three opponents had stood. “Though I fear we can’t allow ourselves to remain here much longer… a pity, I would have very much liked to test my blade against them.”

“Oracle, is Ahsan calling us?” Joker asked and looked at their support for confirmation.

“No, not yet.”

“It seems you’re in luck Fox, stay close to the safe room, but feel free to wipe out every Shadow you come across.”

“Hehe, gladly.”  No sooner had the words left his mouth did Fox cock his masked face to the side as the sound of wings filled the air again.  They didn’t have to wait long before three more winged figures appeared, these one better prepared, but they weren’t ready for Yusuke.  “You are a poor imitation of real angelic beings.  Allow me to show you the difference between true beauty, and the vice you propagate!”  If he’d been fast during his fight with Margaret, Fox proved far quicker now as he seemed to appear on the other side of the three angels in the next moment, his drawn sword held before him as he slowly sheathed the curved blade.  When the hilt touched the top of the sheath with an audible click, it heralded the Shadows’ demise as all three popped like black sludge filled water balloons which quickly dissolved into nothingness, as all Shadows did.  “Hmph, is it just me, or are they extremely weak before our might?”

“Those big ones might be a problem,” Futaba informed them, but the same glimmer was all too visible in her goggle covered eyes, “but these small fry are mere pushovers.”

Joker’s face encompassing grin said it all.  “That’s all I needed to hear.”

**End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _ Well, who would have thought that our dear little Charles Saracino would be a messed up person? Probably a lot actually, but not the point, the point is that they now are back at doing what they are familiar with.  It might be a new age, but it’s the same old dance.  Though I do hope that you guys also enjoyed the less messed up part of the chapter, for example our little mention of Toranosuke Yoshida, even if said mention was mostly a moron spouting what he thought would get more followers, but still. Also Akira met someone, with red hair (subtle hint, female, also military, sounds like someone you know?) that  _ **_might_ ** _ be important later on. At any rate I sincerely hope you enjoyed our latest chapter, until next time! _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  I loved old man ‘No Good Tora’, he was one of my favorites in the Confidants, same as Nomad in his way.  He was a good man, far better than someone Charles could ever hope to compare to.  Granted, they come from two very different time periods, thus making them hard to draw analogies between the two, but just the fact that we’ve made it so that Tora is actually responsible for steering humanity towards a much brighter future makes our little combined universe make quite a bit a sense, at least I hope it does for you guys and gals, which makes the sting of Charles using Tora’s name as he did that much more pronounced.  As for his Palace, it only gets more twisted the further we go, so brace yourselves folks and enjoy the ride.  ; D  See ya! _


	14. Tricky Complications

**Chapter 14**

**Tricky Complications**

 

**Location:  Metaverse, ‘Paradise’**

**Date:  Saturday, April 24th, 2182.  Afternoon Sunny**

“That was… bracing.” Haru remarked as she pulled her huge axe out of the ground where she had just cut a Shadow right down the middle.  “I feel somewhat calmer now.”

“I know what you mean.” Ann admitted as the flames around her slowly died down. “But… I still kinda wanna burn everything to the ground.”

“As much as we might want to destroy Charles’ Palace, we can’t cause a mental shutdown or a psychotic breakdown.”  Makoto was quick to remind them, but the urge to do permanent damage to the man was there for her as well.

“Yeah….still, this guy is totally whack!”  Ryuji cried as he slouched against a stack of metallic containers in the storage shed they’d taken refuge in to catch their breath.  “How can anyone see people like that?!”

“Because to Charles they  _ aren’t  _ people.”  Mona informed them to which Haru sadly nodded in agreement.

“It’s just like the space station my father’s Palace had resembled.  The robotic guards and workers weren’t people to him either, just cogs in a giant machine, all geared towards making his rise possible no matter the cost to those ‘beneath’ him.”

“Let’s get out of here.” Joker suggested softly. “We all calmed down somewhat, so let’s help Ahsan, then we come back and finish the job.”

“Right.  Beginning travel now.”  Futaba stated as she activated the Metaverse nav on her omni-tool, and they all breathed a little easier once reality reasserted itself, with the tool shed returning to a much more mundane warehouse space.  “That always feels a little weird.”  She mused, shaking her head as the brief dizziness that always followed traveling between the two worlds dissipated.

“At least we got some good loot out of it if nothing else.”  Yusuke informed the rest of them as he casually lifted a heavy bag of various armor pieces, ornamental headdresses, and precious looking pieces of ore and jewels.  “The only question now is where we can sell all this for our infiltration funds?”

“Uh… good question.” Ryuji agreed and scratched his head. “I don't know, we probably should leave it to Joker.”

“Your trust in my abilities has been noted, Skull.” Akira muttered and rolled his eyes. “Or is it perhaps that you wish to avoid any effort on your part.”

“Well.. duh, that too of course. But you always came through before, so that means you’re reliable.”

“He’s got a point.” Morgana told him from his position on the floor as he licked at his right paw to clean the fur. “But in this case it should be pretty easy, Ahsan mentioned that their people made money selling stuff like that before, right? So why not just give it to him?”

“And what do we tell him when he asks what we did to get it all?  Finding a Palace to infiltrate?” Joker asked sceptically.

“Of course not, we went to this city’s Mementos to train a bit more in preparation for the mission.  Which is why all the Shadows we beat were so weak, because we stayed on the upper floors.”

“That could work.” Akira admitted after a short moment of contemplation.

“Of course it will, it was my idea after all.” The cat shot back hauntingly and grinned. “And as you know, my ideas are always spot on.”

“Like the time you had the idea to confess to Ann you mean?” Ryuji chimed in from the side.

“Hmmm… aside from that one time.” Mona was forced to concede with a pitiful meow.

“Then there was the time you broke away from the group.”  Futaba was quick to say next as Haru perked up at the mention of how they’d originally met.  “True, you found Haru-senpai, but ya gotta admit, that was kinda harebrained even for you Mona.”

Hopping onto Akira’s shoulder as he led the way back outside into the busy city streets, Morgana groaned as his ears flattened against the sides of his head.  “Yeah...that was kinda dumb in hindsight, but it was Ryuji’s fault!”

“At least you know that you made a mistake.” Haru told him soothingly. “That means you can learn from it and not repeat it again.”

“As if the cat would actually learn from that.” Skull muttered under his breath but fell silent when both Joker and Queen glared at him. “Ehehe, just kidding. Now where’s my furry little friend?”  He ‘cooed’, which had Morgana giving him a glare that could have melted steel, clearly unamused.

“Stop that you bleach blonde idiot, you’re freaking me out!”

“And there they go again.”  Futaba groaned with one hand against the side of her head before she brightened when her omni-tool chirped an alert.  “Oh!  Heya Ahsan.”

“Ms. Sakura, thank you for picking up so quickly.”  Appearing on her arm, Ahsan’s face morphed into a kind, warm smile as the link was properly established between them.  “I figure you and the rest of your companions are out seeing the sights, but we’ve been asked to gather.  I’ll send the directions momentarily.”

“See you soon as we get there Ahsan-senpai.”  Akira promised, to which the scarred man nodded his head before their respective omni-tools were updated with specific coordinates as to where they were supposed to meet.  Once their present location was updated, they had an estimated travel time in no time flat.  “We should be there in about ten, twenty minutes tops.”

“I’ll be here.”  Before he disappeared, Ahsan’s eyes held a glimmer of suspicion as to what they’d been really doing, but he didn’t question them then and there, much to Joker’s silent relief as they started on their way.  True to their word, despite a rather jostling bus ride to their destination, they arrived with five minutes to spare.  Staring up at the rather large stone building before them, Yusuke had to crack a wistful smile at what his eyes fell upon.  “It seems rather fitting we visit an actual museum.”

“Well, I suppose we  _ are  _ historic figures in this time.” Makoto agreed softly. “Did any of you check the extranet for information about… us?”

“I thought about it… but I figured it would be kinda weird reading up on myself.” Ann admitted and chuckled nervously as she crossed her arms over her chest.  “It just seemed wrong, you know?”

“I checked for at least  _ some  _ info.” Akira replied with a shrug. “Apparently there was this ‘terrorist’ called the Phantom that caused a lot of trouble in the twenty first century, undermined the government and all that.  Commited suicide though, sounds like someone you know?”

“Nope, not at all.”  Futaba quipped as she stretched her arms out over her head with a contented groan.  “Ohhh...but as for checking up on myself, I have to agree with Ann on this one.  That and...it was kinda depressing to even think about it when I  _ did  _ consider it.”  She sighed but smiled despite her feelings on the matter, and nodded her chin towards a school gathering of various young children across the racial spectrum.  The sight had all of them smiling warmly at the sight of so many, not just humans, able to simply coexist peacefully.  “And after what we just went through, I could do with some good vibes.”

“I wondered.”  Joker chuckled but shot Ahsan as he appeared behind them a knowing look between them as the well dressed man folded his gloved hands behind his back.  Returning the look with a lopsided, amused grin, Ahsan shrugged his shoulders, “I won’t ask who you’ve got your eye on, but I just ask that you be careful with whatever you’re doing.  I am supposed to be keeping an eye on you after all.  Still, the less I know, the less I have to lie later when questions are eventually raised.”

“For being our glorified babysitter, you aren’t doing a very good job Ahsan.”  Futaba singsonged, which had the older man chuckling a little louder this time.

“True,” he acquisenced as he started towards whatever prearranged meeting place he had set up with their hopeful candidate, “but my job’s more to evaluate you’re able to acclimatize and adapt than outright spy on you, and to make sure you’re able to handle being on an academy funded field project, shall we call it?”

“Ah.”  Akira noted, a thoughtful sound escaping him at the little revelation.  “While we’ve done okay so far, I’m not going to argue with the added support.  But am I right in assuming that eventually our following ‘trips’ will be with minimal supervision?”

“Ms. Kirijo would still prefer regular updates, especially on more sensitive projects and the like, but yes.”  Ahsan informed them as he nodded his chin towards a human man and the asari that stood at his side, along with a girl of about thirteen with similarly colored brunette curly locks standing between and behind them.  “George Ramirez and Valara Di’Rava, their daughter’s name is Sarah, with another one on the way.”

“Which will be asari if I’m not mistaken.”  Haru said, and beamed when Ahsan nodded once more.

“It seems Saera’s done her job well, but yes.  We’re here for Sarah though, but even if she refuses, we can at least show her how to properly control the power she’s started to awaken to, which her parents will have likely noticed by now even if they don’t know the cause.  I’ll handle them if a few of you want to talk to Sarah?”  He offered, to which Ann and Akira stepped forward, silently volunteering their help in this endeavor.  “The rest of you can wander about, but...keep an eye out.”  He said from the side of his mouth, the softly spoken warning all they needed to get the hint there could potentially be trouble.  Given the list of potential enemies Ahsan and Amanda had warned them about in their respective ways, let alone Semaf and his talk about the STG he used to work for, they were ready for just about anything.

Spreading out while keeping at least two others in their line of sight at all times, Akira nodded towards Ryuji and Mona as the cat rode on the track star’s shoulder, walking past a number of famous paintings while Haru and Yusuke lingered near prominently displayed pieces of ancient pottery from Earth’s distant past.  Makoto and Futaba kept close to Ahsan as he approached the family.  That left Akira and Ann to talk to Sarah, which they found easy enough when the kid broke away from her parents the moment Ahsan approached.

Glancing around the nearby exhibits on their way to where Sarah had wandered off, Akira wasn’t all that surprised to find most of them were displays to humanity’s achievements and important historical events in the last two centuries.  The first space worthy vessel, the first colonies on Luna, Mars, and beyond.  The first truly near self sustaining space stations, and of course then there was the momentous day the prothean ruins on Mars was discovered.  Unfortunately several terrorist bombings and political assassinations were on display as well, but there was also the general history of how Earth’s various countries had all become united under one governmental body, the Systems Alliance, and how an era of unprecedented era of peace and advancement for the human race began.  It gave Akira hope that this was the future they’d be working towards one day very soon.

Soon enough though, Akira and Ann soon glanced curiously at Sarah’s back, unable to decide how best to try and introduce what they had been sent to talk about.  “If you’re going to glare,” Sarah muttered, a noticeable drawl to her voice as she glanced up at Akira and Ann once they’d gotten close, “at least have the decen’cy to be subtle a’bout it.”

“Funny, I thought we were.”  Akira quipped as he rubbed the back of his neck at having been so easily detected.

“You both glow.”  The girl offered with a shrug of her shoulders.  “Kinda hard not to notice you and your buddies, let alone the old stiff talking to my papa and momma.”

“Oh?” Akira asked, amused by her description of them. “I think I know someone somewhat similar in that regard.”  Catching Futaba’s eye, he gave her a subtle sign and with a nod, she immediately walked over to them.

“Hmm?” Futaba asked once she’d gotten close.  “What’s up?”

“I think you and our tiny friend here have something in common, she told us that we glow and are rather easy to pick out, so I immediately thought of you.”

“Ohhhh...gotcha.”  Futaba grinned while Ann rolled her eyes at Akira’s choice of words.  Ignoring the amused look on her face, Futaba simply put her hands on her hips and smiled down at Sarah conspirately.  “You too huh?”

“Me too?  I don’t even know what THIS is!”  Sarah emphatically gestured towards herself but thankfully had been able to keep her voice down, somehow.

“Exhilarating?” Akira suggested with a grin before he turned serious. “On a more serious note, it would help if you could tell us how this all came to be, and perhaps what it feels like.”

“What it feels like? What are you a shrink?”

“God no.” Ann was quick to deny that and snorted. “Him? I’d pity his patients.”

“Gee, thanks. But no, not a shrink.  It’s...a long story, but I’d like to think of myself as a troubleshooter.”  Or a troublemaker, but Akira kept that to himself, barely, even as an amused grin threatened to split his head in half.  “But we know what this is, because we’ve gone through similar stuff.”

“Oh I see,” Sarah snarked as she crossed her arms over her chest with a huff, “so you had random stuff shorting out around you, you see weird creatures in the middle of the night, and have real strange dreams?”

“Yes to all actually except the electronics shorting out bit.”  Ann replied.

“Though we can see weird creatures at  _ all  _ times of the day.” Akira supplied helpfully. “It’s just a matter of where you look”  He only let Arsene appear for a split second, just enough to get his point across, but it was enough for Sarah’s eyes to widen considerably as he shrugged, his hands once more in his pockets of his jacket.

“Uh….th-th-that was-”

“Awesome?” He suggested cheekily, which earned him an annoyed scoff from their young friend.

“That’s one word for it wiseass.”  Sarah grumbled, but scrubbed her hands over her eyes as if she was hoping she’d wake up from some very vivid dream.  “Goddess this day just got a lot stranger.  What are you?!  What am I?!”

“Ah good, you start with the easy stuff.” Akira told her seriously, though his eyes still shone in amusement. “You see, I, and by extension you, are humans. Nothing special thus far, I know, however what you’ve just seen was Arsene, my Persona, another me that resides within.  It’s a power that only a few actually manage to call forth.  But don’t worry, I promise you, this does not make you any less human than anyone else here.”

“Easy for you to say.”

“Uhu, alright, and may I ask why?  Why should it be easy for me?”

“Uh…”  Sarah trailed off, while Ann and Futaba gave her amused, knowing glances.

“You didn’t think that one through, did you?”  He noted dryly and chuckled at the glare he received in return. “No need to get angry, but let me ask you a question, are biotices more or less human than those that don’t possess the same power?”

“Of course not!  My mother was a biotic, before she- she died.” Sarah began heatedly before her voice grew almost timid at the end.

“I’m sorry…”  Futaba softly said as she knelt down so they were on a more even level.  “I...lost my mother too a while ago.  Trust me, I know how much it sucks.”  She didn’t look away when Sarah peered deeply into the hacker’s large brown eyes before nodding to herself, seemingly satisfied with whatever she’d ‘seen’.

“I believe you.  I don’t know how I know you’re telling the truth, but I do.  It’s...part of whatever this Persona thing is with me.”

“Heh, well I can hack reality and detect other Personas not so different from you I bet.  Not only that, I can keep in constant contact with all of my friends thanks to my power.”

“So… all of you have these Personas?” Sarah asked for clarification as she sent a worried glance towards her parents. “Will.. will you take me with you?”

“Only if you want to.” Ann was quick to assure her. “If you’d rather stay with your family, we’ll respect that, and if necessary we’ll defend your choice.”

“Then why? Why come if I probably won't even go to… wherever.”

“Isn't it good to know that you aren't alone with this strange ability?” Ann questioned her with a smile that broadened when the girl nodded at her after a few seconds. “Besides, even if you don't come, we could at least offer you some tips on how to control your new Persona. That way, you’d stop shorting out stuff near you, and even be able to defend yourself should...something happen.”

“And now I’m worried, but….”  She trailed off, looking from one face to the next before glancing down at her right hand.  Following her gaze, Akira raised an eyebrow when he saw a little heart tattoo on the inside of her wrist which she quickly covered up.  “....I...I’d like to know more about this school or whatever it is before I say anything.”

“Well, the teachers are mental.” Futaba offered with a shrug. “The principal and his sister get into fights all the time, it’s kinda funny seeing them getting blown up though.”

“What?”

“Perhaps that's not the best start.” Akira allowed with a chuckle.  “Think of it this way, there’s a lot of people like you grouped together and they all learn how to use their powers, alone and as a group, so that they can help others with their newfound strength.  The teachers do their best to help in that process while also providing you with the usual information one would be taught in school.”

“I  _ still  _ have to do math?”

“Why is that the only thing you care about?” Akira muttered under his breath.

“I’m thirteen wiseass.”  Sarah deadpanned as she huffed at how stupid he was being.  “I’m a kid, kids hate school in general, or is that not a thing on your planet?”

“You get to see your teachers blown up! What more do you want?” He asked her in mock seriousness. “Besides, school’s not so bad when you’ve got friends there.”

“Except all my….”  Sarah trailed off and shook her head at that as her gaze grew decidedly distant.  “No...no they really  _ weren’t  _ my friends.  First thing I noticed when this started was that most of them were just friends with me out of pity rather than actually wanting to be there.  They felt sorry about my mom dying from the eezo caused cancer… and when I confronted them about it, they got all quiet before turning nasty.”

“Well, I don’t know if this helps, but… my parents never wanted me in the first place, and the moment I caused trouble they were all to happy to kick me out, and I still made friends, so I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t.” Akira told her with a shrug, though for a brief moment they were able to see the pain that fact caused him.

“You know… as depressing as it is… that actually helped a little.”  Rubbing at one eye as subtly as she could, Sarah blew out a long, drawn out sigh and said, “Damn allergies….”

“Funny thing Akira didn’t mention is that being a Persona User, uh...catch all term for people like us,” Ann was quick to elaborate when the girl looked up to her next, “is that we live honestly, far more so than many people could ever claim.”

“Uh… okay? Which means what exactly?” Sarah asked confused, her eyes flickering from one of them to the next and back.

“It means half pint,” Futaba was quick to chime in, “is that we don’t do the usual BS stuff adults are so fond of.  If we say we’re going to do somethin’, then you bet we’re gonna do it or die tryin’.  So if we promise that joining a school for people like us will be the best thing you’ve ever done, then you can bet we mean every word.  And not just because there’s other people like us running around.”

“To have a Persona is to know yourself, because it is a manifestation of your mental state, your very soul.  Being true to who and what you are is the most important thing to always keep in mind.”

“And you say you’re not a shrink.”  Despite her sarcasm, Sarah couldn’t help but look intrigued as she let her eyes settle on Akira’s face this time.  Joker felt….something gently push behind his head when their eyes met, and when he didn’t offer any resistance when she probed into his surface mind, he smiled as she quickly blushed upon realizing he was aware of what she was doing.  “S-sorry, but all this is-”

“It’s alright,” he assured her, “it wasn’t easy for us at first either… and we didn’t even get the chance to go to this school until recently.”

“Oh… was it bad?”

“No, I’d like to think we needed that time for ourselves.” Akira told her gently. “I know, it sound strange, but we learned a lot through… practical application I suppose you could say.”

“O-oh.” Sarah stammered her eyes still fixed on Joker, evidently wondering whether or not she should question further.  Apparently she decided to draw on her courage and continue. “W-why is your.. Persona chained?”

“Oh, that’s easy, I promised someone I wouldn’t cause too much trouble… and well, I’m a bit of a rebel so my Persona being chained just means that I’m restraining my more rebellious impulses.” Akira offered as a rather simplified explanation.  There was more to it, but it served well enough for what they needed here.

“Tsk, ‘a bit of a rebel’.” Futaba grumbled and rolled her eyes. “I so can’t wait to tell the others.”

“Not helping.”  Ann droned but smirked despite her reprimanding tone.  “But yes, it was pretty...messed up, what we went through, but we’re doing much better than we ever were before we awoke to these Personas of ours.”

Taking more strength from Ann’s sincere declaration than she probably should’ve, Sarah once more peered into the young woman’s pale blue eyes, searching for the lie that just wasn’t there.  Relieved that so far, all of them had been completely honest with her, Sarah began to lower her walls, if only a little.  “I believe you.  And...it is pretty scary, feeling like there’s something trying to escape from-”

“Deep inside your heart?  Screaming to be let loose on the world?”  Ann finished for her, to which Sarah could only nod dumbly in agreement.  “Yeah, we all had that too.”

“What new stress has entered your life though?”  Akira asked suddenly, and while his question caught Sarah off guard, the quick glance towards Valara told him all he needed.  “Your mother, or that she’s pregnant?”

“B-both….”  Sarah stammered out, further flabberghasted he’d guessed the problem so quickly.  “She’s been nothing but kind, I….I guess I’m just afraid.”  She trailed off, her head falling as she hugged her arms across her chest.

“That you betray your mother's memory if you accept her?” Ann asked shrewdly and knelt down before the young girl.  “I never knew your mother, but wouldn’t she want you to be happy?  If the new woman in your dad’s life truly cares for him  _ and _ you, then why should it be wrong if you also started to care for her?”

“It’s just...happened so fast.  Or it...seems that way.”  Sarah replied glumly as she slowly let her hands fall to her sides, but it didn’t take a mind reader to see she was close to tears.  “And I miss her….I miss her so much and I don’t want to lose her completely.”  The way she touched the little heart on her wrist told them a great deal more.  Seeing where their eyes had fallen, Sarah shakily nodded, confirming their suspicions with that simple gesture.

“You won’t.” Ann told her quietly as she put a hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. “As long as you remember her, you’ll never lose her.  As long as someone still remembers her, she’s not truly gone.”

“I… but there was still so much I wanted to tell her!” Sarah admitted shakily. “So much I never had the chance to…”

“No matter how much time you spend with someone you love, when they are gone, it will never have been enough.”  Even Akira was slightly taken aback when the asari, Valara, had gotten so close without him noticing, but a quick glance at a quietly smiling Makoto as she stood behind Ahsan’s right told him who had suggested her to eavesdrop.  A quick glance at Futaba’s right hand, which he only then noticed was behind her back, stopped glowing orange with the light of her omni-tool a split second later.  Valara noticed none of this as she knelt down and cupped Sarah’s soon tear stained cheeks between her hands.  “I never wanted to replace your mother, dear heart, neither would I want you to forget her.  She was a good woman, a true friend I miss with every day that passes, and she left behind such a beautiful girl.”

“Bu- but how can you accept me so easily? I always shunned you!  I wasn't even polite about it.”

“I was never angry with you, I was just scared that such a bright life like yours would drown under the despair of your mother's death. I was worried, that you’d never recover.  Your father loves you, as do I, and when my daughter is born, I would be happy knowing she had a sibling such as you watching over her.”  Whatever strength had been keeping Sarah upright faded then as she threw her arms around the asari’s waist.  Valara wasted no time in hugging her close before looking up towards Akira’s face.  “I don’t know who you all are, but thank you….for what you’ve done here.  As for this school your friend’s been talking about, I get the feeling there’s more going on here than even I realize, but with what you’ve given to us, to her, I won’t ask too many questions.”

“Perhaps you could visit our school before you decide?” Akira suggested and looked at Ahsan for confirmation which he received in the form of a curt nod. “We are… secretive and with good reason, but we have no plans on seperating your family in any shape or form.”

“ _ I _ believe you.”  Valara stated, and while Akira knew she had no means to know for certain, he didn’t argue with just how sure she sounded as a warm, kind smile appeared on the purple skinned asari’s face.  “I used to be a commando,” she answered the question none had given voice to, “I know when someone’s lying to me, shall we say, and I don’t need any strange power to know the difference.”  She smirked when Sarah stiffened and looked her in the face, but Valara gently tapped her on the nose which earned her an annoyed if amused glare.  “Yes I knew something strange was going on, and then we get a visit from Mr. Khatri and his...associates?”

“Close enough.”  Ann replied with a shrug of her shoulders.  “We might as well as be at this point.”

“So you can help her?”

“Yes.”  Ahsan replied softly, his sincerity just as palpable in the air as theirs had been.  “But as been stated already by Mr. Kurusu, some of this can’t become public knowledge, for your daughter’s safety as much as ours.”

“Of course.  Those with strange….abilities, have always been persecuted, your kind made that apparent when you first began developing biotics.”  Valara replied knowingly, before running her long fingers through her daughter’s hair as she stood to her full height at last with a soft groan when something in her back popped audibly.  “Oh...carrying an extra load is not so easy on the back as it once was.”

“You are starting to look a little fat.”  Val chuckled at the quip while Sarah wiped at her eyes more openly this time.  Turning to the rest of them, the girl sighed and put her hands up to her mouth, blowing out a second, long if calming breath through them before letting them drop.  “If you’re sure it’s alright to take a look around, then sure, I got nothing else to do this weekend.”

“That’s Sarah speak for, ‘she’s grateful’.”

“We figured.”  Akira chuckled before holding out his hand the newest member of their strange little school.  “Welcome to our world kid.”

“What’s next? You offer me a chance to rule the galaxy as father and daughter?”

“I wasn't planning on it.” Akira assured her with a quick laugh as he turned to Ann. “What do you think, Ann? Ever thought about galactic domination?”

“Ugh… please don't give him anymore crazy ideas.” She sighed heavily as she looked at Sarah. “He won't actually do it, but… well let’s say he has a vivid imagination.”

“I’ll say.”  Futaba snarked as she stretched her arms up over her head.  “But he IS our little club president.”

“Club?  What kinda club?”  Val asked, and raised an eye ridge when none of them immediately answered.  “Do think twice before trying to lie.  Silence is answer enough, but don’t lie to us now.”

“Uh...right, we plead the fifth then.”  Akira was quick to say before they could dig themselves a really big hole.  “Although I promise you that your daughter will not be affected by anything we do.”

Valara’s probing stare wasn’t quite as intrusive as Sarah’s had been, but Akira still felt a bead of sweat roll down the back of his neck.  “Hmm...and yet you’re up to something.”  She said at last.

“In our defense I would like to say that we are always up to something, and whatever you might believe we always try to help.”

Valara, to their slight surprise, only waved a hand dismissively.  “That at least was the truth, but alright.  I’ll go out on a little faith, but don’t be surprised if I keep close tabs on my little girl anytime I see you around her.”

“We’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”  Akira replied, smiling warmly despite the fact they’d be under added scrutiny.  Seeing the girl’s father approaching from the nearby bathroom, he knew their time was up.  “See you later then.”

“You will.”  Sarah agreed before looking up towards Valara next.  “R-right?”

“Like you said already, dear heart, we have nothing else to do this weekend.”

Assembling outside, Ahsan was all smiles as they left Sarah and her family to enjoy the rest of their museum visit in peace.  “Not exactly what I would’ve done Ms. Sakura, Ms. Niijima,” he began once the pair had stopped just behind him with Akira hanging back a bit with Ann, “but I applaud your quick thinking and your ability to bring a family closer together at the same time.”

“With all of the people we’ve helped during our time together, it seemed like the most logical way to get what we all wanted, but mostly, once she started to open up, it was all I could do to just stand by as you talked to her parents.”  Makoto explained as she shared a grateful look with Futaba.  “But don’t thank me, I was just the intermediary to Futaba’s genius, allowing Valara to hear what her girl was saying.”

“Still, it was a very selfless thing you did, even if, yes, I’m also happy we’ve got another future student that’ll hopefully find true friends and a place at the school.”  Ahsan replied before starting for the van that he’d had brought to the museum while they’d been busy.  “We’ve found the quarian’s exact room and location.  Futaba, Akira, you’re going to be invaluable in this since we don’t know why he’s in a coma, only that he was found next to a pretty badly torn up asari.”

“Alright, we’ll proceed as planned. Oracle, move to the hotel with Ahsan. Queen and your team scout the area, Skull keep my back clear. Mona and me are going in.” Joker decided with a resolute nod. “Oracle, you warn us of approaching guards or doctors and keep us clear of the security system, we’ll sneak into his room.  If his coma is somehow related to our job, Mona should be able to sense something… I hope.”

Another thirty minute trip, and Akira and the others found themselves in what Ahsan had called a Sirta Foundation funded turian hospital, meaning no profit was ever made given the medical tech firm had a long history of being a non profit organization.  It was also one of the only reasons a quarian was allowed to reside inside its walls for any length of time because the Sirta Foundation had already raised a stink about one group’s attempt to have the comatose alien removed and put in prison for assaulting one of the Council races as he had.  All were truly equal in their opinion, and thus worthy of the same medical assistance as anyone else.

Finding himself in an air vent though, Akira sighed as he and Morgana made their very slow, very careful way through the ventilation system that was nearly as labyrinthine as any Palace they’d been in.  “Why do I agree to these jobs again?”

“Because you’re a glutton for punishment.”  Morgana replied over his furry behind as he casually walked down the cramped shaft while Joker was forced to inch his way forward on his hands and knees.

“Nah, that can't be it.” Joker decided as he slowly made his way through the shaft. “Anyway, Oracle, how much further?”

Oracle’s voice in his head was a reassuring presence as the tunnel ahead stretched out what felt like a small eternity.  “Just three more rooms, and of course a floor intersecting through there, so...just keep crawling, I’ll tell you when you’re there.”

“Great, can't wait.” He mumbled in return even as a grin spread across his face. “Now we’re only missing Shadows, and I’d feel right at home.”

“You might get your wish if you aren’t careful.”  Yusuke was quick to chime in through their long since established link.  “Depending on how the coma was caused, it’s quite possible something unnatural could’ve been behind it.”

“We know, but thanks for stating the obvious Fox.”  Still, Akira was glad someone had vocalized what they’d only danced around thus far.  Whatever the case, he breathed a little easier as he finally reached their destination, with Morgana flicking his tail towards the vent grate that overlooked the room they wanted.

“-stupid asari.”  They shared a worried look with each other because the voice just below them sounded….unnatural to their ears.  Outside of the fact his suit’s audio system made his deep baritone seem slightly synthetic, there was something beneath that that had Morgana’s hair standing on end, and Akira feeling a familiar tingle across his senses.  Familiar, yet different at the same time.  “Racist bosh’tet, shoving me aside.  Saying I tried to assault her.”

“It’s been like that since he got here.” They heard a flanged voice say. “Always repeating the same remarks, falling silent for a time, and then starting up again almost like clockwork.”

“And you’re certain that he’s in a coma?” This voice sounded decidingly female, and human like, though Mona could see that it was actually an asari in uniform that had asked the question.

“Yes, his brain waves are… quite abnormal, but he doesn't react to outside stimuli at all.” The turian replied sounding, if anything, annoyed by the question. “So now that you’re certain that we’re telling the truth, could you please leave?  You’re disturbing our other patients and staff.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m just trying to do my job, and regardless of injury, the quarian is still a prime suspect in my case, and must be held accountable by law.”

“Who’s law would that be exactly?  Your people’s law?  Turian law?  We both know there’s no justice for the quarian people, and I watch the news.  Protests for the same basic rights as-”

“That doesn’t mean they get a free pass either.”  The asari cop cut the doctor off, her tone almost caustic with how sharp it was.  “Just do your job, let us know when that  _ quarian  _ wakes up or I’ll find a way to get around the Foundation’s little tantrum and drag that piece of suit trash out of here.”

“And you wonder why they have a problem with us.”  The turian muttered back, but whether or not she heard, they never found out as the asari stormed out.  It didn’t take long for the turian doctor to follow once he’d done one last check of his patient.  Once they were sure they wouldn’t be disturbed, Joker nodded to Morgana before he and the cat landed, light as feathers, onto the ground with barely a click of their feet on the hard linoleum.

“Hmm, let’s see.” Joker whispered quietly as he activate his third eye to examine the still muttering quarian before him. What he saw was, confusing, to put it mildly. The deep red of stronger shadows mixed with the golden light of a Persona user, intertwined, bordering on each other, but also flowing into one another and constantly changing shape and form. “That's new, Mona you sense something?”

“This isn’t right.”  The cat replied, making it clear he did indeed sense something off about the quarian between them as the cat jumped up so that he was sitting on his chest.  “This shouldn’t be possible.  He’s on the verge of awakening to a Persona, and still has Shadow junk all over him?  It’s like someone’s gone and corrupted him, forcibly changing his cognitive state to suit their whims!  He won’t last long like this, assuming he can even be helped in the first place.”

“Oracle, what’ve you got from the hospital reports?” Joker murmured silently and stepped closer to the quarian, looking for any irregularities both with his own two eyes and his third eye.

“Well, they’re as stumped as we are.” Futaba replied after a short moment. “Irregular brain waves, lack of reaction to stimuli but aside from that this quarian is as healthy as a horse...well, as healthy as a quarian horse can be anyway.  No injury or substance in his body to explain his catatonic state, no known history of a pre existing medical condition they could find.  There’s no logical explanation for this.”

“Which definitely qualifies as something within our purview.”  Yusuke chimed in over their link.

“Yeah, no kidding.”  Ryuji growled, having since taken up a spot at the nurses station under the pretense of waiting for someone to come back from the bathroom.

“Oracle, we still good?” Joker asked as he looked at the cat beside him in contemplation.  Glancing at the man’s medical chart that was hanging from the bed, he glanced at one spot in particular on the data pad that had been left behind.  He had an idea, but he wanted to test something first.

“Yeah… why?”  Oracle asked hesitantly, something in his voice having clued her in that he was up to something.

“Lock the door, just in case. Mona, can you use a Dia on our comatose friend here?” He requested with a concentrated frown. “If that's okay with you Ahsan, I would like to see how he reacts to something from our side, so to speak.”

“Knock yourself out, just be careful.  Explaining why there’s a boy and his cat hanging around a potential suspect will be….difficult, at best.”

“Don’t worry, they won’t find us.” Joker replied confidently as he nodded at Morgana to work his magic.

Thanks to the week or so of having been reconnected with their Personas, Morgana found it easy enough to use such a low level spell without having to manifest Mercurious into this reality as a soft blue and gold light washed over the quarian.  What happened next wasn’t entirely unexpected, but it still caught them off guard.

“Bosh’tets!”  As if having been given a shot of adrenaline, the quarian sat upright, his glowing silver eyes turning pitch black as his gaze fell on Joker.  To his own eyes, all three of them, Joker saw what remained of the quarian’s glow had since died out, having been consumed the moment the Dia spell ran its course, and he had all of two seconds to get his arms up over his face as the quarian shot out of bed and directly towards him in the same instant.  “All of you are the same!”  He screamed, trying to wrap his hands around Joker’s throat.

Grabbing one of the clawing hands, Joker wasted no time to twist them behind the quarian’s back, and to push him onto the ground, hard. “Ahsan, we might have a problem.” He muttered as he pressed the still raging quarian to the ground.  No easy feat since he bucked and writhed as if a man possessed, trying to break free of Joker’s grasp. “The quarian’s gone berserk.  My guess, it seems like his Shadow’s now in control of his body. Have you seen anything like this before?”

“I can't say I have.” Ahsan admitted with a low voice, deeply unsettled by the young man’s observation.

“Great, which means we don't know how to deal with him like this, huh?” Akira grumbled and looked at Mona for help. “You think this works like an ailment?  Would a Patra or an Energy Drop help?”

“I doubt it, but I can try.”  Morgana replied as Joker grunted when he was nearly tossed from the quarian’s back, having been distracted only for a moment.  “Keep him steady!”  The cat hissed as he settled on their right side, mindful of how close he was to their opponent’s hands.  If not for Joker’s grip, he’d not have been so eager to get close.

“I’m doing my best here.”  Joker replied with a shrug as he let one arm go only to quickly slam his hand into the back of the quarian’s neck.  He stilled with a soft groan, allowing them to do what they needed without further interference.  “We might want to consider tying him down before we leave if this doesn’t work.”

“Alright, this looks a lot like a blind rage.” Morgana stated the obvious and placed a pawn on the quarians helmet. “So, I’ll use Energy Drop first.” A bright light washed over the two figures, but the quarian still continued to struggle, if far more weakly after being hit on the back of the neck.

“It's not very effective.” Joker noted with a sigh as Morgana repeated the process with Patra, only to receive the same result. “Alright, two choices now, either we beat him up here and hope that helps.” Joker began and shrugged at the reproachful look that earned him from Morgana. “Hey, I’m just saying that it seemed to work when we negotiated with Shadows before, or… we knock him out, and you and I go to the Metaverse right now and beat him there.”

“That… could work.” Morgana admitted and swished his tail back and forth. “You think we have that much time?”

“We can go to the Verse from anywhere, we just need their name which we have,” Joker explained as he glanced at the data pad he’d spotted earlier, “unless he’s stuck in Mementos itself.  Even then, we only need to be in an access point, which wouldn’t be here in any event.”

“Alright… do it.” Morgana agreed and slowly grew into his original form.

Akira wasted no time to smash the palm of his hand into the back of the quarian’s head with enough force to render him completely unconscious this time.  Once his opponent was peacefully lying beneath him, he stood up, and dragged his body back into bed, making sure that everything looked to be in order.  But before he stepped back, Joker made it a point to activate the kinetic restraint system attached to the bed, a glowing set of cuffs appearing around the now unconscious quarian’s arms and legs.  “Alright, starting navigation to… Haator’mim nar Rayya?  I wonder if he was born on the Rayya or if he’s served on it.”

“ **Match found.** ” The Metaverse navigator droned even as Mona looked at him impatiently.

“Now is not the time, Joker.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Akira agreed as their surroundings began to blur and change in appearance. “Hmm, this looks like.. Some sort of airport?” He wondered as he looked around and scratched the back of his head even as he looked up. “Ah, scratch that, some sort of space port it is.” He realized with some wonderment before he turned serious. “Mona, how far is the target?”

“He’s pretty close.” His friend replied and turned round, trying to pinpoint his exact location. “This way!” He exclaimed and pointed down a long corridor. With a target in clear sight, the two of them rushed down the corridor, which was thankfully not nearly as dark as the Mementos tunnels they were used to.  If anything, this part of Mementos, despite them having not started at a subway station as they’d done back home, seemed unusually sterile and clean.  A quick glance at the strange gray and white growth that covered parts of the walls and ceiling, with veins of red and black shadow stuff pulsing through them, said they were indeed in Mementos, but otherwise Joker would’ve have mistaken their surroundings for a very tall, very large space dock.  And while they were currently in a tunnel, most of the walls were made of glass, allowing them to see into the black spaces between, and the sheer scale and scope of the structure they were currently running through. “Left!” Morgana shouted once they reached the intersection at the end of the corridor, the two of them rushed around the corner only to almost smash face first into a dark red door that seemed to swirl the longer one looked at it. “Behind that one, there he is.”

“You ready for this?” Akira asked his friend for confirmation and received a cocky smirk in return.

“Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m always ready.” Morgana declared even as he respectfully waited for Akira to make the first step as they walked into a large, circular chamber, the door before them splitting in the middle before sliding away.

At the center of the room was their target, but unlike the one in the hospital bed, Hataar’mim looked absolutely miserable as he grabbed the sides of his head, pained grunts and groans pouring from his unmasked face.  Having never seen a quarian face before, Joker was surprised to note he looked surprisingly human, save for the fact he was ash gray and his eyes did indeed look like they glowed with a silver light.  But the black and red, pulsating veins that ran through his face and down into the depths of his suit didn’t strike him or Morgana as a normal thing for Hataar’s people.  “G-get...out of my head!  So much….hatred….rage….make it stop!”

“ **_It comes from within_ ** .”  A voice boomed, from without and within the quarian as he gasped and his fingers dug deeper into the sides of his head.  “ **_Your hatred gives rise to what you’re foolishly trying to resist.  You only need to give in, and it would all go away.  All of your pain….all of your fear, your anguish, your sorrow, hopelessness....  You would finally be free.  Why do you resist what I so freely promise you?  I am on your side, my child._ ** ”

“What's going on?” Morgana whispered, shocked as he continued to stare at the Shadow before them.

“ **_Look before you now, your enemies have come.  Crush them with the might I’ve given to you_ ** .” The voice called out even as the quarian slowly lifted his head to stare at them. “ **_Don't hesitate now, crush them as you crushed the other one, they deserve it just as much as she did._ ** ”

“I….I didn’t….I didn’t ask for this!  I just wanted her to stop hurting my sister!  I did-”  Whatever else he was going to say was cut off as the veins in his face flared darker, and Hataar choked out a scream as his silver eyes began to darken.

“ **_Do not make me hurt you more, my child.  Please, I do not wish to cause you undue pain, but the rage of our people will not be denied, nor will it abate if you show mercy now!  It is too late for forgiveness!_ ** ”

With a wordless scream, Hataar collapsed to his knees as he held his head between his hands.  His screams grew in volume until he suddenly exploded into his true Shadow form.  What stood before Joker and Morgana now was unlike any Shadow they’d seen before, but given the simple fact they were facing an alien, that was to be expected.  In front of them now stood a suitless quarian, one from a far more primitive time of their species considering the fact that he was wearing some kind of leather armour and a menacingly large stone spear was locked tightly in his right hand. “ **_My people will be free! If my blade has to pierce your heart, then so be it!_ ** ”

“Well, this got real interesting.”  Joker mused as Arsene appeared behind his back in a blaze of blue flames.

“Be careful, he might’ve been forced into this form, but he’s stronger than he looks.”  Morgana was quick to inform him even as he hefted his scimitar up to one shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I’ve still got you haven’t I?” He asked rhetorically even as he was forced to parry the first thrust of the spear with his own knife.  Despite the strength Hataar brought to bear, Akira smirked as he turned the spear aside before nimbly jumping away, putting some distance between them in the process. “ **Arsene!** Curse him.” Joker commanded as red orbs began pelting the enemy’s form, pushing him back slowly but surely. “Hmm, not resistant, but also not weak against it it seems.”

“ **Mercurius!** Garundye!” Mona shouted a moment later as a whirl storm of destructive air formed around the Shadow, throwing him into a wall, though he quickly got up again and took a defensive stance.  “That’s strange.  Joker, he might be preparing to counterattack if we get close.”

“Then don’t get close.”  Joker replied as he put his knife away and pulled out his heavily modified pistol from the holster on his hip in the next instant.  “Bang.” He said with a light smirk even as he jumped into the air and unleashed a barrage of bullets just the way his teacher, Shinya Oda, had taught him.  Each bullet hit a joint, or another weak spot without fail, and the Shadow collapsed with a pained howl.

Bereft of his spear, Hataar could only curse and growl even as arcs of electricity began to race across his back.  Morgana had a split second to jump to the side before a Ziodyne split the ground where he’d just been standing, but the proximity of that much power still had his fur standing on end.  “ **_Damn it HOLD STILL!_ ** ”

“Heh, not on your life!”  Morgana yowled as he jumped forward then, his sword leading. His blade cut deeply into the wounded Shadow’s shoulder, weakening it even further as it abandoned its attempts to get up and collapsed right back down.  Breathing heavily, it slowly looked up to find itself eye to muzzle with Joker’s pistol.

“Begone.” Joker commanded clearly, addressing the entity behind Hataar’s transformation rather than Hataar himself, and fired, the bullet ripping through the Shadow’s skull with little resistance.  As it faded with one last howl, it only left the prone form of the quarian behind, who was breathing heavily, tears streaming down his face.

Shakily pushing himself up to his hands and knees, Hataar could only just look up into Joker’s face, visibly exhausted and tired from the fight and his transformation.  “I didn’t- I didn’t want any of this.  Th-thank you….for freeing me from... _ her _ control.”

“Her?” Morgana asked as he stepped closer. “Do you know what’s behind this?”

“N-no, but I still can hear her voice echoing in my mind.” Hataar muttered and cradled his head fearfully. “She claims that she loves me, that she loves all quarians, but why did she make me do these things?!”

“I don’t know, but I’m planning to find out.” Joker assured him firmly. “You however have another problem, you are the prime suspect in an attempted murder.  And from what I’ve heard, sounds like… well your body did indeed do the deed.”

“I….I  _ did  _ do the deed.”  Hataar admitted as he shook his head sadly.  “I can’t deny it….it’d be a crime of another kind if I did, because...I accepted what  _ she  _ gave me.  I was just trying to protect my sister from our Mistress’s wrath….but….whatever  _ she  _ is, she took it too far.  I didn’t want to hurt the asari, not like I did, but that anger, that rage that was already there…. _ she _ made it all I could think about.”

“It’s not gonna be easy to convince others of your innocence but… we don’t blame you.” Joker told him even as he switched magazines in his pistol. “Sounds like you were just trying to help, and to do so, you accepted power, never knowing what awaited you, or what you would become.”

“I still attacked her.”

“Perhaps, but if you ask me, nothing about this is natural, so blaming you is just as wrong.” Morgana chimed in from the side with a shrug. “Also… Mistress?”

“We are...or were, her indentured servants.” The quarian shrugged, as if it were both common place and obvious.  “My younger sister only agreed to the arrangement because she didn’t want to leave my side, but she didn’t belong with that asari.  It’s my fault she saw me become….this thing, and it’s my fault she’s run off.”

“Easy.” Akira said and held up a hand, “we’re in a hurry here, so answer me this. What’s the name of your Mistress and did she ever mistreat you? Because once we’re out of here, we’ll try to keep you out of prison, preferably the legal way.”

“And how would we even get him out otherwise?”  Morgana asked, his dubious glare making it clear he didn’t like whatever he’d considered.

“Spill a lot of his blood and heal him with a Diarahan, making everyone think he’s dead.” Akira explained briefly but gestured towards the quarian. “Now, quick, anything that could help us?”

“I don’t care about myself, or my freedom, but save my sister if you can.  As for the asari….our contracts might’ve made it clear any physical abuse would not be tolerated, but there are other ways to hurt someone that leave no marks.”  He sighed and hugged himself tightly, unable to meet their sympathetic gazes any longer.  “Her name’s Sarvara T’Salis.  But please, save my sister…if you can even find her.”  Before either of them could ask what his sister’s name was, Hataar’mim disappeared, but not before two things fell out of his former Shadow.  The first was a Palace seed, which took on the form of yet more loot that Joker quickly pocketed.  The other however, was not something they were familiar with.

It looked like a cybernetic spider at first glance, yet the same red and black tendrils that had been running through Hataar’s face was all it consisted of as it glared balefully at the pair.  “ **_So you’ve saved one of the seventeen million potential candidates I have at my beck and call.  Seventeen million people, full of the same rage and hatred that has went unanswered for so long.  So much injustice, so much pain and sorrow, and you think you’ve made a difference here?  Human filth, I’ll remember your faces well, and I will scatter your dust to the solar winds before this is over_ ** .”

“Great.” Joker drawled as he looked the spider. “Another god? Of course it is, but you must know that your actions will only harm the quarians. The more violent you become, the more detested they become.  Of course in return, you take even more extreme measures, until the quarians are wiped out because of your actions.”

The spider visibly shook in its own rage as the eight, black eyes along its face glowed brighter still.  “ **_I will not allow this to happen! Foolish mortal, you presume to lecture one such as me?! I’ve seen the suffering of my children go unanswered, their cries ignored, for over three centuries, what would you know?!_ ** ”

“I’ve seen things the likes you cannot imagine.” He replied, completely unintimidated by the threatening air it put on. “What would you know about me? Believe it or not… I want to help your people, but killing everyone is not the solution.”

“ **_If you truly wish to aid my children, then you’d reconsider what you just said.  As far as I’m concerned, both your words and actions are born from blinding naivete!  I will trust you no more than all the other filth that harrasses them.  I will protect them from all!_ ** ”

“I see, perhaps you will be more open the next time we meet.” He concluded as his dagger cut the spider into pieces in a motion too quick to perceive.  The spider disappeared a piece at a time, dissolving into ash like particles before even those faded away.  “Let's go, Mona. We’ve overstayed our welcome.”  Returning to reality, Joker and Morgana were quick to slip back into the vent, leaving no trace they’d ever been in the hospital room save for the fact they’d left Hataar tied to his bed.

Rejoining the rest of the team outside in the parking garage, Joker took one look at Ahsan and Ryuji and said, “It seems we have a new goddess to worry about.”

**End Chapter:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _ So, looks like after three hundred years of being the galaxy’s punching bag the quarians have unconsciously taken to despise most other species and people, I mean, who would have thought that if you treat people like dirt for no reason, for so long, that they might take exception to that? Food for thought, huh? At any rate, they at least don't have a god coming down at them wanting to murder them or take their free will, so in that regard they are clearly doing something right in comparison to us. Fair warning though a lot of real life responsibilities are coming up soon on my end, so it might be a bit before I update anything of mine again, I apologize for the delay. Until next time! _

**_Vergil1989_ ** :   _ Well, that was a thing.  And Nomad’s right with what he’s saying, we’ve had gods of control and gods born of our own willingness to delude ourselves, but we’ve yet to see a god, at least I haven’t anyway, born of so much pain, so much sorrow, and worse, born of an honest mistake as the quarians made when they lost their homeworld to the geth.  Racism is a very real thing in both Mass Effect AND our own society, such as it is at the present time, so it seems rather relevant and fitting to give the Thieves a matching opponent of the same type.  That and we always kinda had this idea in the back of our heads long before Persona 5 came around, but after seeing just what Yaldabaoth was capable of, well, we had a much more solid foundation to work from thanks to that windbag.  Lol at any rate, see ya folks and as always, seize the day, come what may, and be, as always, true to who and what you are, no matter how hard it might get.  ; D _


	15. Love Is All You Need

**Chapter 15**

 

**Love Is All You Need**

 

**Location:  New York, New York City**

**Date:  Saturday, April 24th, 2182.  Late Afternoon**

The shuttle softly shook as they returned to the academy, a grim silence permeating the immediate area.  None of the Phantom Thieves had taken well to the news of a new entity lurking in the shadows, nor had Ahsan for that matter and with the way they could hear Amanda making her displeasure known in the background from his omni-tool, she wasn’t taking the news much better either.

“So… what do we do?” Ryuji asked uncharacteristically quiet as he looked at Akira for guidance.

“There isn’t much we can do… not yet anyway.” Akira told him with a grunt.  “This thing means trouble, but we first have to find a way to get to it before we can even start trying to beat it.”

“Hmm, you suspect we must fight our way through another Mementos once more?” Makoto asked him with a frown. “Or perhaps the quarian version of it at any rate?”

“I have no idea, but what I do know is that this thing is what caused Hataar to act so aggressively.  If it’s planning to do the same thing to the rest of its own people, I figure if we meet enough quarian Shadows and beat them, it’ll be enough… I hope.  Otherwise we might have to raise all kinds of trouble like we did last time, getting our name in the public cognition again.”

“And with how well that worked last time, I think I speak for all of us when I say I’d rather not be erased a second time.”  Haru stated softly, her hands clenching up against her knees before Yusuke put a hand over her left, and she relaxed almost immediately.  “But the alternative will likely be far worse for the quarians, not to mention whoever makes the mistake of getting in this thing’s way.”

“While I think we shouldn’t act too hastily, I also concur with our current course of action.” Yusuke declared with a resolute nod of his own. “We shall do our best to procure more information first before we decide on a more decisive plan of attack.”

“More information on the quarians you say.”  They turned and saw Ahsan had ended his call with Amanda.  “I might know a few people that can share what you’d need, but getting them to trust you might take some...effort.  They do have good reason not to trust anyone not like them after all, especially with what you’ve since told myself and Ms. Kirijo.”

“Don’t forget me, just saying.”  Nanako chimed in as she put their shuttle on autopilot so she could stretch her legs.  When they simply stared at her inquisitively, she smirked and tapped the side of her head.  “I do have ears, and I have nothing else to do except pilot the shuttle and stare out a window.”

“Right.” Morgana muttered and blinked his large blue eyes a few times before shaking himself out of his stupor. “As for getting your acquaintances to trust us… I think I already have a plan, mwahaha.”

“Do I want to know?”  Ahsan asked once Akira had translated what Morgana had said.

“Probably not, plausible deniability and all that, but I’ll tell you anyway.  We have a plan to get their trust.”

“Now I’m worried.” Ahsan sighed heavily.

“I second that.” Nanako agreed from the cockpit, but went largely ignored.

“Don’t worry, you won’t notice what we’ll do… probably.” Akira assured him with a wry smile.

“That’s not the least bit reassuring.” Ahsan told him flatly as he began to massage his temples. “Still, I suppose I can trust you with this.”  Sending a list of names to their omni-tools, Akira nodded his thanks as Ahsan sighed but shrugged his shoulders in response once the information had been sent to the rest of his team.  “As long as no one ends up hurt, I won’t raise a fuss Mr. Kurusu. And as for your own little….extracurricular activities today, if it indeed helps with this latest threat, which it sounds like it very well might if your previous forays into Mementos are to be believed, then I won’t complain on that front either.  But again I must stress that if you bring undo attention to the Kirijo Group, there will likely be consequences for countless people.”

“We’ll do our best to keep you out of the public eye.”  Makoto promised as she met Ahsan’s rightfully concerned gaze and held it.  “We’ve learned from our previous mistakes in letting our fame go to our heads, but even before that, we only had that attention on us, never our close friends or family.  Still, our much more human enemies still went out of their way to threaten those they could locate, so we know enough of what you’re afraid of and we have plenty of reason to avoid a repeat on that front.”

“So long as you understand my concern.”  Ahsan intoned before he relaxed a little at the matching expressions on the rest of their faces.  “I know it’s a complication to an already complicated situation-”

“Bah don’t worry about it Ahsan-senpai.”  Ryuji was quick to say with a dismissive wave of his hand.  “You got people you’re lookin’ out for, same as any of us.”

“If necessary we’ll relocate and do our best impression of having struck out on our own.” Akira told him with a shrug. “In that case, you could still support us from the shadows if you so wish, without being directly impeded by our actions.”

“Hopefully that won’t be necessary.” Ahsan replied uncomfortably.  “Frankly speaking, it’d feel wrong to simply leave you to your own devices in such a manner after all you’ve already given up to be here in the first place.”

“Your concern’s appreciated Mr. Khatri,” Haru chimed in pleasantly, smiling warmly at the man from Yusuke’s side, “but we’ve made it this far.  And while this is outside of our original time, we’d find a way.”

“I don’t doubt it.”  Nanako replied as a soft smirk pulled at her lips at Haru’s obvious strength and determination, let alone their willingness to try and spare them any possible repercussions from their actions even if it made their own lives more difficult in the process.  “But while I agree with Ahsan, let’s not go looking for trouble where there isn’t any just yet. Besides, your justice might cause us all kinds of headaches if mishandled, but as long as you fight for the right reasons, I doubt anyone you’ve already connected with will complain much.”

“You have us there,” Yusuke offered but frowned thoughtfully, “but such good will shouldn’t be wasted or squandered in any form.  I would not invite such trouble to Boss’s door without a very good reason, especially after the last time.”

“Yeah...seeing Leblanc torn up after Shido’s goons came down was the stuff of nightmares.”  Futaba agreed quietly, her hands wrapped as closely around herself as she could manage with the shuttle restraints in the way.  Makoto’s hand on her knee made her stiffen until she looked down and smiled gratefully from Makoto’s effort. “Th-thanks.”

“You aren’t the only one that was worried for the Boss, Futaba.”  She assured their hacker before turning her gaze back on Ahsan. “But if we’re to do this at all, we need to at least decide what to do about Charles.”

“He’s got a Palace, that should be answer enough.”  Morgana stated as he hopped up into Futaba’s lap without needing to be asked.  “He’s a danger to himself and everyone around him with that alone to worry about.  If left unchecked, who knows how far he might go before someone steps in?!”

Ann translated for Ahsan’s and Nanako’s benefit before adding her own two cents. “His Palace is… twisted, I know that’s usually the case, but his is even worse than the others we’ve seen thus far.”

Ryuji was all too happy to remind them of just how screwed Charles’s mental state was as he slammed a fist into his previously injured knee.  “He’s got a serious god complex and a parody of the Garden of Eden in his head. How is that not twisted as fuck?!”

“Not to mention that in his garden, humans live a life of pleasure and decadence while the aliens are their slaves, entertainment, and even food.” Akira added darkly as he looked Ahsan in the eye. “I’m sure you can understand why we can’t just sit by and let him continue.”

“Indeed.”  Ahsan replied, visibly taken aback by the image they’d conjured for himself and their pilot as he shared an uncomfortable look with Nanako.  “It sounds serious, far more so than I might have believed before meeting you all. It would certainly explain why Charles’ has always seemed so….bombastic isn’t quite the right word, but it works well enough in regards to his presence.  That and his constant use of certain phrases and words would follow the evidence you’ve presented if I recall my history on the Metaverse correctly. Each Palace has a noticeable theme to it, and while it might not be immediately present, it becomes blatantly clear in short order.”

“Yeah it does.”  Futaba muttered before she glanced up into Ahsan’s face.  “Wait, there’s classes on the various other worlds out there?”

“Oh, right, I guess you wouldn’t know.”  Nanako said as she rubbed the back of her neck, a sheepish grin pulling at her lips.  “Second years get much more detailed info about the other worlds we know about. You’re one of the rare exceptions in that you’ve been to one already.”

“We’ve heard about the Midnight Channel and Dark Hour respectively, but only snippets thus far.”  Yusuke explained in turn as he folded his hands beneath his chin. “Though I suppose it makes sense if we’re to be fully functioning members of Amanda’s group, we’d need to know about the rest of what we might encounter out there.”

“Can we get back to planning our first heist please?”  Ann asked, to which Yusuke muttered an apology. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders in return.  “It’s fine Yusuke. I just want to know what we’re doing before we land.”

“Well, I figured we’d use our free time in the future to explore Charles’ Palace a fair bit.” Akira began easily. “Secure a route to the Treasure, and figure out a way to send the calling card…. perhaps an email in his account regarding ‘campaign funds’ and once he checks it.  Bam, calling card.”

“Please, I can do better than that in my sleep.”  Futaba boasted, but in her case, it wasn’t empty air as her face split in two from the wide grin that appeared as she pushed her glasses higher up her nose.

“Let’s at least get eyes on Charles’s Palace ruler before we get ahead of ourselves.”  Makoto stated but smiled, the hacker’s cheer infectious even to her normally controlled demeanor.

“I wonder if a little of my artistic talent wouldn’t go amiss in the creation of this new calling card?  I’ve yet to truly employ the atelier I was allowed access to just the other day as per our original agreement.”  A thoughtful Yusuke said as he shared a conspiratorial look with Futaba.

“I rather liked what you did with our calling cards, the image was far superior to Ryuji’s.” Morgana mused with a grin on his feline face. “Though I suppose it was acceptable for a first try.”

“Yeah I’ll give you acceptable ya mangy cat.”  Grumbled an annoyed Ryuji before he too grinned and slammed his fist into his open palm.  “Hehe, looks like we’re back in the game!”

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, Narukami Academy**

**Date:  Saturday, April 24th, 2182.  Evening Clear**

While it was later in the day than he’d have preferred to have returned to the dorms, Akira had to give them a metaphorical pat on the back for having gotten through their latest series of jobs with little to no trouble at all.  Sarah was in line to likely join the students at the academy, they had found the probable cause of why Hataar had gone berserk, and they had an idea of what they were doing about Charles Saracino and his Palace. All told, their day had been pretty good in Akira’s opinion.

Still, he was nervous as he made his way to Ann’s room.  Every carefully thought out confession he had ever devised just broke apart the more he tried to hold onto them until he was standing right in front of her door, his head feeling utterly empty as he lifted his hand to knock.  He hesitated for a moment before he took a deep breath and knocked softly at her door. The following seconds seemed to take a life time, every beat of his heart pounding unnaturally loud in his ears.

“Akira?”  Spinning towards the noise, Akira sharply exhaled when he saw Ann standing in the hallway rather than answering the door as he’d expected.  “Are you…”

“Hmm?  Y-yeah I’m fine…..mostly.”  He replied, not about to lie now, not after promising to be more open to those around him after that ordeal with his Shadow.  “I… Can we talk?” He abruptly asked, taking the blonde in front of him aback.

“Uh, sure.” She replied blinking surprised.

“Not here… let’s go to the roof.” He suggested after a moment of silence. “It’s a beautiful night.”  _ Idiot! _ He screamed internally at himself.  _ It’s a beautiful night? Great going you moron!  …..And now I sound like Ryuji...great. _

Shaking his head to get rid of his thoughts, he walked past Ann towards the stairs, but waited for a moment for her to catch up.  They walked beside one another in silence, and he had to fight not to keep glancing at her. Once they reached the roof he took a deep breath, feeling as though he hadn't breathed the entire way up here and turned to look at Ann even as he slowly made his way to the railing.

The moon was high up in the night sky and sent its light down upon the two of them, casting them both in its pale embrace.  Him trying to gather his courage and tell her the truth, and her the girl that was confused as to why he had asked her to meet here in the first place.   “There’s something I need to tell you, Ann.” Akira eventually said, his voice just above a soft whisper as he leaned against the railing and looked up towards the night sky.

“Hmm, what is it?” Ann asked curiously and stepped beside him, her hair reflecting the moonlight in a way that made his heart skip a beat. Shaking himself out of such thoughts, he continued on while he still had the courage to do so.

“It's about this girl I met roughly three years ago, I don't think I made the best first impression you know? I kind of stared at her like a buffoon.” Akira told her, eyes fixed forward again, the words just flowing out of him without any conscious thought or effort. “When she was picked up by this teacher that suddenly showed up, I could easily see that she wasn't comfortable with that, but I didn't know what to do.” He ignored the sharp intake of breath beside him for the time being.  It was now or never, and he’d put this off long enough. “When I finally  _ did _ get to school, well, it didn't take long for me to hear all kinds of rumors about her… but I didn't pay them any mind.  There were rumors about me as well, and I knew that people often make up things to discredit those that they’re jealous or afraid of.” Here he paused and swallowed heavily. “Shortly after I met her in the subway station, anyone with even half a brain could tell that she was in a bad place. Yet everyone around her ignored her.” Akira continued and shook his head vigorously. “But I couldn't, I just wanted, or rather needed, to help her. Though I might have freaked her out a bit with my approach.” Here he could hear Ann’s light giggle at the way he described the time he confronted her about the phone call from Kamoshida. He had to admit, it was kinda amusing, but he told her everything that they went through to make her understand,  _ why _ . Why he felt as he did.

“Turned out she was in an even worse place than I had initially thought, and yet she suffered through it all for the sake of her friend.  It was at that moment that I began to truly admire her.” He remarked wistfully a smile pulling at his own lips. “Afterwards, I wanted to get to know her better, wanted to understand her better, and perhaps even help her. Of course things weren’t that simple and some complications, involving a castle, arose. But even in there she showed a burning passion I’ve never seen this profound in anyone else… and my admiration grew.”

He almost choked on his next words when Ann put her right hand over his left and gave it a light squeeze. “A-anyway, once I got to know her better… I saw how considerate she was, how much she valued her friends, the passion that drove her, everyday, and the effort she put into bettering herself for the sake of others even in the face of extreme adversity.” Here he paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before he continued. “She didn't give up, she might have stumbled along the way but she never fell… and while I  _ did _ get to know her, I’d fallen for her before I’d realized it.” At Ann's shocked gasp, he turned to look her in the eye, dark grey meeting shocked bright blue. “There is no better way to say this. I love you, Ann.” He admitted and squeezed the hand that still held his own. “I’ve loved you for years.”

“W-what?” Ann choked out, utterly shocked at the revelation.

“I love you.” He repeated firmly a gentle smile on his face. “I- I wanted you to know, even if you don-”

“I- I love you too.” Ann cut him of fiercely and pulled him into a hug. “I was just scared of telling you.” The admission sounded almost ashamed, as if she had any reason to blame herself.

Akira's brain was almost too busy drowning in happiness to register her last words. “Ha, so we both felt the same way but were too afraid to reveal our feelings? We are truly a fine pair of fools.” He declared with a slight laugh and pulled back a bit to look her in the eye once more. After a moment of hesitation he lifted his right hand and caressed her cheek, to his great relief Ann didn't pull away but rather leaned into the touch. “So, what now? I’m afraid I never had a girlfriend before.”

“That's okay.” Ann mumbled softly and put a hand to the back of his head. “I never had a boyfriend before either.” Their lips met and they began to, first carefully then passionately, map out each others mouth. Neither could say how long they stayed that way but when they separated they were breathing heavily, their pupils dilated as an obvious sign of their happiness and affection, even as he put his forehead against hers.

“If this is a dream… I never want it to end.” Akira muttered quietly even as he pulled her closer once more.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.” Ann whispered in agreement.

“Let's stay like this.” Akira suggested softly. “Just a little longer.”

“A little longer.” Ann agreed and leaned in once more. In the end, neither of them could say just how long their ‘little while’ lasted, but they only returned to their respective dorms once they began to feel the chill of the cold night air.

Waking up with Morgana on his chest, Akira yawned and smiled, feeling lighter than air after having finally getting his feelings out in the open for Ann.  He felt like jumping around in sheer joy and only the presence of Morgana kept him from doing so even as he carefully pushed the cat off him and onto the blanket beside him. “Too early….tuna.”  Morgana muttered, still half asleep as he rolled onto his side.

Smiling broadly at his friend’s sleepy murmurings, Akira got up and began to dress himself, desperately trying to keep his euphoria from bursting forth even as he almost floated through the hallways, intent on getting himself a coffee from Sojiro.  Perhaps he would see Ann there as well, the thought brought a blinding smile to his face even as he decided that the blonde was probably still sleeping… but he could wake her up with a coffee of her own.

Sojiro gave him a strange look when Akira seemingly skipped up to him and asked him cheerfully for two coffees. “Here you go.” The older man said slowly as he watched Akira in bewilderment even as Sae, who was also present, hid her smile behind her own coffee cup.

“Thanks, and yes, you can collect your dues Sae.”  Akira was quick to inform the defense attorney, who grinned triumphantly at his confirmation of her suspicions.

“I thank you for the heads up Akira.  I’ll be sure to do so once everyone’s gathered.”

“Ah… that explains a lot.” Sojiro mused with a slight chuckle as Akira moved to the doors that lead to the campus. “What are you doing? It’s raining.”

“But only a little bit.” Akira shot back and walked out the door, getting soaked almost immediately, but he didn't much care either way as he walked down the path. The cool air and rain felt simply invigorating to him and this way he took in nature's beauty on his way to Ann. Softly even without his knowledge, he began to hum to himself as he made his way down the gravel way.

“I’m singing in the rain.” He sang softly and chuckled at his own antics even as he continued the song and twirled around a lamppost.

“Mr. Kurusu?” Amanda asked and blinked at him, evidently having trouble believing her eyes as he came to a sudden stop.  Aigis, who stood beside her holding a large umbrella that covered the two of them, was in a similar state of shock. “Is everything… alright?”

“Y-yeah, sorry.”  he chuckled, unable to help the grin on his face to save his life.  Backing away, coffee still held in his arms, the master thief bowed theatrically at the waist as he started away.  “I’m in love.” Was all he needed to say as the two smiled or shook their heads respectively, understanding following those three little words.

“Please shoot me if I ever act so foolish Aigis.”  Amanda stated once Akira was out of earshot.

“I’ll make no such promise.”  Aigis replied, smiling mischievously in return. “But I’ll be sure to have Labrys and a camera nearby.”  Despite her annoyance, Amanda couldn’t help but roll her eyes and smirk in response as they started away once more.

Bursting his way into the campus building, he found most of his team already in the cafeteria, with Ann just stepping up to the food counter to place an order.  She turned instead and smiled beautifully as he handed her coffee over once he’d snuck in line beside her. “Th-thanks. He merely smiled back at her, just happy to see her again, which admittedly was a bit strange but he didn’t care.

“Heh, so he straight up told her, huh?” He heard Ryuji ask somewhere behind him. “Not bad.”

“You do realize that means those that betted against Sae must now pay up.”  Yusuke was quick to remind Ryuji, who groaned and let his head thunk against the table they were sitting at.

“For real?!  Damn….I forgot all about that bet.”

“Let’s stay like this.”  He heard his own voice suddenly say. “Just a little longer.” Accompanied by a wistful sigh that sounded a lot like Makoto and an “Awww.” That could have only come from Haru.

“That was so romantic.” The heiress exclaimed happily.

“If you ask me to play this one more time, I might get diabetes from all that sweetness.” Futaba grumbled at the others and rolled her eyes.  “Didn’t you get enough of that from the livestream?”

“And of course they recorded it.”  Ann sighed but smirked as she and Akira sat down among their grinning or fawning friends.  “Do I dare ask how many copies you have of that Futaba?”

“Only the one.”  She assured them entirely too quickly.

“Uh huh….well, I’ll remember this, just so you know.”  Promised Ann as she leaned back in her chair, her arms draped loosely over her stomach.

“Oh, what you gonna do? Hack me?” Futaba cackled mischievously.

“No, but I’ll intimidate any prospective boyfriend so badly that they’ll need therapy.” Akira promised her with a smirk that made it clear he wasn’t bluffing while Ann adopted a similar expression that quickly had Futaba wilting under their combined glares.

“Unfair!” She complained and pouted.

“If it helps, I would have done that anyway, can’t have just anyone dating my little sister.”

“Oh, and what is with me, Joker?” Makoto asked in amusement.

“Well, I’ll probably just tell them to run while they still can… and to avoid your kicks.” Akira replied teasingly with a kind laugh. “The day you would ever allow me to protect you like that is the day the world ends.”

“You do have a point.”  Makoto agreed, her smile blade thin before it morphed into a small but still visible grin.  “We are however glad you two have finally gotten that out of the way.”

“Indeed.”  Yusuke agreed quietly.  “It was a rather awkward feeling, seeing how strongly you felt for the other, but neither willing to push past that final hurdle.”

“That didn't stop you from betting when we would get together, though.” Akira pointed out amusedly.

“You’re right, but I was under the impression that doing so was nothing unusual.” Yusuke said in wonderment and blinked. “After Boss suggested it in the first place, it seemed only natural.”

“Meh, it’s fine Yusuke.”  Ann assured him but was quick to add, “and honestly, while it was a bit immature, I’d have probably done the same thing if our roles were reversed.”

“Now if we could just get Haru and Yusuke to do the same thing….”  Morgana muttered under his breath, not quite quiet enough though as both Yusuke and Haru choked on their respective drinks before sharing an uncomfortable look with the other.  “Oh please, it’s pretty obvious you two are into each other.”

“I….uh….have no idea what you’re talking about.”  Stammered a thoroughly embarrassed Yusuke while Haru looked down at her wet top, having spat out her drink all over herself which she proceeded to try and wipe up with a bundle of napkins Makoto handed to her.  Even distracted though, the color to her pale cheeks was impossible to miss.

“Sure you don’t, Inari.” Futaba scoffed with a roll of her eyes. “Even I noticed it, which is saying something.”

“She’s got a point there.” Ryuji agreed with a thoughtful nod before he turned to Haru as she finished cleaning herself up, yet refused to look up.  “Ya don’t gotta be embarrassed about it though, neither one of ya Haru, Yusuke. It’s about time with all those long looks you’ve been givin’ each other this whole time, let alone the fact you’re even now sitting together.”

“They….do have a point.”  Haru finally spoke up as she hesitantly glanced towards the master forger at her side.  “We have been rather foolish haven’t we?”

“W-well….I w-wouldn’t have gone that far, but-”

“You want some privacy for this?” Akira suggested as he looked at his two friends. “I mean… Ann and I didnt have any but that doesn't mean that everyone has to have their love confessions recorded.”  While he didn’t look away from the furiously blushing pair, Futaba still grinned sheepishly as she wisely put her omni-tool covered hand back into her lap.

Ignoring the hacker in any event, Yusuke finally relaxed and smiled with a shake of his head.  “That….won’t be necessary on my end. I suppose we haven’t been quite as discreet as we could’ve been, have we?”

“No, but we’ve yet to actually confirm our feelings either.”  Haru replied, a hopeful gleam in her large brown eyes as she leaned into Yusuke’s shoulder just as Yusuke wrapped an arm around the girl’s waist as best he could without needing to be asked or directed in any way.

“I think you already did.” Ann told her smiling at the shorter girl. “Perhaps you didn’t say anything… but your actions tell everyone enough.”

“Uh guys… can we talk about something else?” Ryuji requested with a huff. “I’m starting to feel left out.”

“I kinda agree.” Futaba muttered with a pout. “Way too many hormones in the air.”

“Well, there’s always Morgana, Ryuji.” Ann told him with a straight face, which held right up until her words registered and both Morgana and Ryuji began to protest simultaneously while wearing equally betrayed looks on their faces, much to the amusement of the others present.

Akira didn’t say anything even as he chuckled right along with the rest of the group, but when he glanced towards Makoto, he saw her glancing at Futaba in such a way that made him wonder if she had wanted to say something to the hacker.  Something he had a feeling would turn their otherwise friendly relationship on its head, just as it’d done for himself and Ann. Catching his probing stare, Makoto confirmed his silent, unspoken question with a hesitant nod that went unnoticed by everyone else before she quickly looked elsewhere just as Morgana and Ryuji’s vehement protests reached a fever pitch.

Later, once they’d gotten a break between classes to do as they wished, Akira was stopped by Makoto, and he followed when she silently led him towards the elevator and its accompanying stairwell, the same elevator that had taken them down to the historical displays of past Persona Users and their various accomplishments.  Sitting on the stairs with her hands folded beneath her chin, Akira stood and waited patiently as she struggled to find the words to the emotions that were clearly plaguing her.

He beat her to the punch and asked as kindly as he could, “How long?”

“....Shortly after her Palace.”  She answered once she’d gotten over her initial surprise of having him ask at all.  “At first I just thought it was a sisterly kind of affection, and for the longest time I was alright with that.  She’d been through so much, her congition distorted by those that had been working for Shido, shut up in her own room like a prisoner even as the voice of her ‘mother’ condemned her for something Futaba hadn’t been responsible for in the first place.  And she was younger than us anyway, making it easier to dismiss what had begun to grow ever since.”

“Yeah, I remember well.” Akira agreed as he thought back to the Egyptian styled palace, Futaba’s tomb.  “But the question is, what do you want to do now? You said that it was easier to dismiss,  _ was  _ being the key word here, so… what do you want to do?”

“I- I don’t know.” Makoto admitted with a frustrated huff. “What I want to do, what I should do, I have no idea.”

“Truth be told, neither did I.” Akira told her bluntly. “I just told Ann what I feel for her, and it was only after much hardship, but you know when we met with Sarah’s family, something her mother said made me think ‘No matter how much time we spend with the people we love, in the end, it will never have been enough’ or something like that… It made me wonder, I mean if either one of us were to die or something, I knew I’d have regretted never telling her the truth, and… even if nothing happens, every moment I didn’t tell her was a moment I couldn’t be with her, not like I wanted to anyway.” Here he paused and looked at Makoto with a small smile on his face. “So yeah, that was the push that made me confess to her yesterday night.  Why waste time on what ifs if you can have what you ever dreamed of?”

“But what if-”

“She doesn’t like you back?” He finished for her and nodded. “It was something I was also afraid of but… now I know for certain, and isn't that better than always yearning for her but never actually knowing the truth?”

“I don't know.” She whispered softly, her eyes fixed on the ground before her. “It’s just so…”

“Strange? Different from everything else you’re familiar with?”

“Y-yeah, which in our experience, says something.”  Makoto chuckled softly but sighed as she let her hands fall to her lap before looking up towards Akira at last.  “I don’t know the exact moment that feeling changed, or if it was always this way and it’s only now that I actually acknowledge what it really’s been this whole time, I just know the thought of not having her around scares me more than even Yaldabaoth ever could.”

“I know _ exactly _ what you mean.” Akira promised her and put a hand on her shoulder. “I know this is gonna sound cliche and all that, but I won't tell you what you should or shouldn't do, just… listen to your heart.”

“It’s really that easy huh?”  She knew the answer to her own question, but Makoto still smiled and nodded her thanks for the advice.  “When we first met Alibaba, I had no idea they’d turn out to be the admittedly most quirky person in our strange little group that I’ve ever met, but there’s something about Futaba that never fails to make me smile, something I needed more than I realized at the time.”

“It’s that easy, and it’s that hard.” He agreed with her assessment, a grin pulling at his lips. “She makes you happy, and I think you make her happy, or at least you could if you set your mind to it, what more could anyone want?”

“That’s a good qu-”  Makoto trailed off suddenly when she saw Akira’s arm had started to glow at some point, and she knew immediately as to the cause as she got to her feet.  True to form, she caught a flash of a long mane of amber brown hair as Futaba darted around the corner. “Futaba wait!” She called out as she nimbly tried to chase the girl down just as a wave of students started pouring into the hallways.

“Does Futaba even know the meaning of privacy?” Akira muttered with some amusement present in his voice as he walked up beside Makoto as she stopped once they’d lost sight of an understandably overwhelmed Futaba in the crowd. “Don't worry, she’s probably just a bit overwhelmed… she isn't that great with deciphering her own feelings, yet.”

“I had hoped she wouldn’t find out like this though.”  Makoto groaned and hung her head, far more embarrassed over the debacle than anything else.  “I had planned to at least break it to her gently to avoid this exact mess, if I’d ever gotten the nerve to go that far in the first place.”

“I agree, the setting wasn’t exactly optimal or romantic, but it was honest, you were just telling the truth.  You know that, and so does she.” Akira reminded her as he lightly patted her back. “Just give her a little time to sort things out, but be around for her when she’s ready so she doesn’t have to go far.”

“Well, if all else fails, I can always knock her door down like I threatened to do during the last stage of the pyramid heist.”  They shared a light laugh at that that had Makoto relaxing, if only slightly, thanks to her efforts to relieve some of the awkward tension that had sprung up between them.  “And now I’m afraid I just destroyed any chance I had at making this work...but yeah, at least I was being honest.” She murmured, a heavy sigh escaping her as she slowly walked away.

Akira let her go, feeling slightly responsible for the mess that had formed due to his innocent probings.  They’d figure it out though, that much he knew for certain.

“Trust in your bonds with one another.” A soft voice behind them suddenly intoned as the two thieves turned to regard the speaker.  They were only marginally surprised to see that it was Lavenza.

“Lavenza!” Akira greeted her happily and patted her head softly, an action which she always seemed to enjoy. “I take it you heard all of that, or is my private life as public in the Velvet Room as it is here?”

“I heard.”  She answered, smiled, and blushed from the pat on the head.  “I did not wish to intrude, so I merely observed.”

“Well at least someone didn’t feel the need to chime in the moment they had a thought.”  Makoto replied but smiled curiously down at the girl before them. “But I didn’t think you’d actually step out of the Velvet Room again, Lavenza.”

“You invited me after your combat training with my sister.” Lavenza pointed out and cocked her head to the side. “Was I mistaken?”

“No, not at all.” Akira was quick to assure her as he grinned down at the young ruler of power. “So, how about trying that curry today?”

In response Lavenza’s eyes lit up in interest as she fell into step beside the two of them as they made their way towards Sojiro.  If nothing else, the day promised to be quite interesting.

**End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _ Another little socializing chapter, if you will. We figured that after the action in the past few chapters, they could do with a little break, and have Akira finally confess his feelings to Ann, which in turn kinda started a domino effect I suppose you could say, not that we have been subtle with our little Yusuke/Haru pairing.  Truth be told, I’m kinda uncertain about how well we did because… I don’t usually do romances, at least not in that great detail. So I hope you all find this acceptable, and if not, well it's the best I could do, sorry. One way or another I hope you enjoyed it, until next time. And yes I am backish, still have lots to do RL but I’ll try to update again from time to time. _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  We COULD have done a better job with the Makoto and Futaba stuff admittedly, but we had only a half formed idea for those two when we started this so that’s our own fault.  Yusuke and Haru seemed appropriate though right from the get go, and Akira and Ann was always our end game regardless, so that was easy to put together with less than subtle hints as to our mindset on the matter between our two lead headliners.  Haru and Yusuke though are as opposite as you can get, yet they seem good together in my less than humble opinion lol. Makoto and Futaba though, if those that have played the game can recall, it was always Makoto that was pushing for them to help Futaba the most, the one that actually threatened to kick down her door if that’s what it took to get rid of her Palace.  That says a lot, and the fact that Futaba actually LET Makoto in at all, well, all of them in the end, also says to me at least that there might have been more than a little room for what we’ve given rise to here. But again we weren’t sure initially if we’d go this route, so we didn’t give quite as many hints as we could’ve, but we hope you still approve folks. _

_ As always, seize the day, come what may. ; D _


	16. Old Habits Die Hard

**Chapter 16**

**Old Habits Die Hard**

 

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan. Kirishima Island, Narukami Academy**

**Date:  Sunday, April 25th, 2182.  Morning Rainy**

Despite yesterday’s admittedly embarrassing conclusion between Makoto and Futaba, Akira went to bed later that day, after seeing Lavenza back to the Velvet Room like the gentleman thief he was, in a pretty good mood.  It of course helped he and Ann had taken the next step in their relationship, but he had also felt pretty good about all they’d accomplished.

Still as happy as he was for his friends, for himself, and the progress they’d made, he couldn't help but worry about their next steps.  He had no doubt that changing Charles Saracino’s heart was just, and that they needed to help the quarians as a whole, let alone Haatar’s sister, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that this would only open up a door to an even bigger world, just as it had when they originally defeated Kamoshida.

Deciding to share his worries with his friends at an appropriate time, he sighed as Morgana shifted his weight on top of him in such a manner that breathing became more difficult.  For a cat, he was surprisingly heavy. “How much tuna did you eat anyway?” Akira grumbled playfully as he nudged his sleeping friend lightly.

“Not enough.” Was the sleepy reply, as said friend didn't even bother to open his eyes to answer his inquiry.

“Of course you’d say that.” Akira muttered in amusement and gently but firmly pushed Morgana off him. “Rise and shine my voracious friend, we don't want to keep the others waiting.”

“Oh?” Morgana perked up almost immediately. “Already? Someone is eager to get back into business.”

“Aren't you?” He shot back with a wry grin as Morgana couldnt help but agree. “Besides, the longer we wait the more people get hurt by Charles’ madness.”

“True.”  Morgana yawned and arched his back, stretching as any normal cat might before hopping down to the ground.  “So what about Queen and Oracle?” He asked as Akira began to get himself put together for the day.

“I don't know, yet, but truth be told I think it will all work out in the end.” Akira told him with a slight smile.  “Whether Futaba returns her feelings or not, they care for each other, and that goes a long way.”

“Yep, but it helps Queen was the one that got us through most of her Palace in the first place.”  Morgana replied with a sage nod of his head. “But even if she doesn’t, Futaba’s no doubt grateful for that still.  Hopefully the inevitable awkward tension won’t last too long though.”

“Meh, true, but I think it won’t be so bad.”  Akira said with a shrug of his shoulders as he pulled a fresh shirt over his head.

Gathering in the dorm lounge once more, he was about to give those already there a ‘good morning’, but Sae’s silent request for him to remain quiet for a moment caught his eye as she and Sojiro kept their eyes on the nearby holoscreen.  Curious by what was happening, he instead sat down next to the older man on the couch, his arms loose at his sides while Morgana sat down in his lap.

“-on the Citadel Zakara Wards, C-Sec forces have successfully apprehended the suspected mass murderer, an N7 Alliance Marine, Lieutenant Commander Sheldon Morrison, who’s been solely responsible for a string of killings across turian controlled space of at least a dozen officers and their families.  A killing spree that started on Shanxi, and led all the way back to the center of what many believe to be the heart of galactic society. The Turian Hierarchy are clamoring for Mr. Morrison’s head, but the Systems Alliance are insisting on a fair trial despite the overwhelming evidence against Sheldon, most of which was found in a secret room in his Zakara Ward apartment.  Either way, speculation among the officers suggests the tip that led to Sheldon’s arrest came from an anonymous source, a concerned citizen that figured out what many believed a truly random string of murders, was in fact Sheldon Morrison working his way backwards from Shanxi along a specific line of staging points that were used to assemble the invasion in the first place during the Relay 314 Incident.”

Sae was all smiles as she turned the volume down, having heard enough of the report as everyone else applauded her contribution in capturing Sheldon at all.  “Not bad Sae.” Akira mused with an approving nod of his head.

“Thank you, but my part was relatively small in all honesty.  Most of the work had already been done by far more capable people than me.”

“Still, you did help catch a mass murderer, that’s not something to be taken lightly.” Ann argued and sent the older woman a smile. “It’s good to know you have our backs.”

“Hey what about me?” Sojiro playfully complained from the side. “I’m here to you know?”

“We know.” Akira assured him with a smirk. “We just follow the scent of coffee and curry to find you.”

“Wiseass.”  Sojiro chuckled but shrugged before glancing towards the hall where the dorms resided.  “That reminds me, I’m surprised Futaba isn’t up yet. I even made her favorite curry, that’s usually enough to get her attention.”

“I haven’t seen Makoto around either now that you mention it.”  Sae said next as she glanced towards Ann and Morgana. “You don’t know anything by chance, do you?”

“Wh-why are you looking at us?”  Asked a suddenly uncomfortable Ann as she leaned away from the former prosecutor.

“Because you fold so easily under pressure in certain instances, like now,”  Sea countered before flicking her eyes towards Akira, “unlike him, you’re far easier to get a read on.”

“W-well, I.. um.”

“They’re probably having a talk right now.” Akira spoke up, deciding to help his girlfriend out of this mess. “Yesterday, Makoto reached a conclusion and wanted to talk to Futaba about it, except, in typical Futaba fashion, she eavesdropped on most of the conversation.”

“And what, pray tell, did she overhear exactly?”  Sojiro asked as he glared over the rim of his glasses at the sweating blonde and the cat that had since started to sidle away as stealthily as he could until he grimaced, stiffened, and stopped with one paw in the air when he realized he couldn’t slink off unnoticed.

“I think I can guess.”  All eyes turned to Sae as she took a sip of her morning coffee before setting the glass down, her hands folding neatly just beneath her chin.  “If not for our much closer relationship, I doubt I’d have a clue, but Makoto has displayed….an interest in Futaba that seemed more than mere friendship now that I have this to work from.”  She smiled when Sojiro spat out what he’d just drank down at the worst possible time.

“Say what now?”  He stammered out between coughs before he swallowed and took several deep breaths.  “Ugh….what is with you damn kids? Is there something in the air around here and no one told me?”

“Not that I’m aware.” Akira assured him with a careless shrug. “I’ll tell you if I hear anything though.”

“Ugh…” Sojiro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Damn puberty, makes everything complicated.”

“It could be worse.” Ann tried to assure him.

“With all that's been going on, I probably should give all of you guys  _ the talk _ .”  Sojiro muttered, still more than a little shook up from the reveal that Makoto, someone he trusted implicitly, had feelings for his little girl.  Even so, the little smirk that appeared on his face suggested he’d enjoy thoroughly embarrassing the Hell out of them all.

“That for example, that would be worse.” Akira hastily pointed out in the hopes of staving off Sojiro’s idea.  Shaking his head at the sheer mortification they would have to go through if Sojiro went along with his plan, he was glad when the older man sighed but waved his hand in silent agreement to Akira’s refusal.  “But as you can guess, Futaba didn’t take it quite as well as Makoto hoped.”

“Which explains why she’s probably locked in her room.”  Sojiro chimed in, having followed Akira’s logic already. “That’s what happens when you eavesdrop though, hopefully it’ll deter her from doing so again.”

“Heh, right.”  Morgana cackled, finding the very idea hilarious.  “Since when has Futaba ever been unable  _ but  _ to invade someone’s privacy whenever she felt like it?”

“Heh, good point Morgana.”  Sojiro admitted but even with the amused smirk on his face, he couldn’t help but peer worriedly towards Futaba’s dorm room.  “I think I’m gonna go talk to her.” He didn’t wait to see what the others thought of the suggestion before Sojiro had gotten to his feet.  Not about to stop him, Akira nodded and smiled at the man’s back as he made his way to Futaba’s room. That Sojiro was actively trying to be the father Futaba needed instead of letting her slip away again said a lot of how far he too had come since their first meeting.  Watching him knock on her door, Akira let go the breath he’d been holding when Futaba opened the door on the first knock and all but yanked Sojiro inside, much to his pleasant if silent surprise.

“And to think I was prepared to lay physical abuse charges at Sojiro’s feet.”  Sae sighed with a shake of her head. “It’d be clear to anyone that he’s not the type to ever hurt a child, but that wouldn’t have stopped me from trying while I was still distorted.”

“Not to put too fine a point on things Sae,’ Akira began, “but there  _ was  _ cause for concern.”

“True, but that doesn’t make what I did, what I was prepared to do rather, right, Akira.  She was a shut in, withdrawn, and there were evidence enough of at least possible neglect on Sojiro’s part that I could’ve made a very strong case against him, but a closer examination would have revealed otherwise.  Even so, I could have easily had a judge lined up that would’ve gladly taken Futaba away from Sojiro’s care.”

“But you didn’t.”  Ann stated firmly.

“Because of what  _ you  _ did for me and Makoto.”  Sae was quick to remind them, but she relaxed somewhat when Morgana hopped up into her lap and ran his furry cheek against Sae’s offered hand.  “But I’m wise enough to let it go, now, at least.”

“Perhaps, but even in your distortion, you could be reasoned with.” Ann couldn't help but point out. “We’ve never met someone that was willing to change unless their Treasure, their distorted desires, was stolen, until we met you that is.”

“As you’ve said, but I’m genuinely curious about one thing.”  Sae began as she glanced towards Akira’s omni-tool. “I remember seeing that strange app icon on that phone you had me show to Akechi.  So much was going through my head at the time I didn’t press it, not that I suspect it would’ve worked then anyway, but-”

“But you want to see the Metaverse for yourself.”  Akira finished for her, to which Sae nodded her head.  “You’re also aware that it’s dangerous even for us.”

“I had assumed as much just from what you’ve told me, and while I didn’t believe it at the time, you turned out alright, and you yourselves had to start at the bottom.  Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re not wrong, I just figured I’d give you a heads up.” He replied calmly. “Though the Metaverse is… strange, it really depends on where we take you.  A Palace for example is far different from a local Mementos, and the floors in Mementos differ from one another as well. It truly is as diverse as the thoughts that give birth to it.”

“But as long as you know the basic rules of both, it’s not that bad.”  Morgana chimed in as he nestled in Sae’s lap, his big blue eyes leveled on Sae’s face using the fact that she could finally understand him to the fullest.

“I’ll admit,” Sae said as she blinked and shook her head to clear it of her lingering surprise and confusion, “hearing you talk certainly puts a lot of things in perspective.”

“I’m full of surprises.” Morgana agreed haughtily. “In comparison to me, the Metaverse will be boring.”

“Somehow that wouldn’t surprise me.  So, when do we leave?” Akira’s slow forming grin was impossible to miss, and Sae found she rather liked seeing him without his seemingly innocent, meek demeanor.

Gathering the team was simple enough, especially since there was no school in session that day.  Akira and Sae couldn’t help but notice however, that both Futaba and Makoto were on either ends of their assembled group, with Sae lingering by her sister’s side, thus putting her more or less in the middle of the awkward tension that filled the air around the two.  Ignoring it for now, Akira pulled up the nav once he was sure no one else would get sucked into the rift between worlds, and pressed the icon. Sae, much to their silent awe and respect, simply stood with one arm crossed over her chest with her other hand resting lightly against the side of her face as reality became distorted and shifted around them before Mementos’s gigantic network appeared in place of the academy.

“And once more I find myself in the strangest of circumstances.”  Sae mused as stepped away from the group only to spin around to take in their costumed alter egos once again.  “I seem to remember you mentioning calling you by your code names is the preferred form of address while we’re in a place such as this, right Queen?”

“That you remembered my name at all worries me more than anything else for some reason.”  Makoto chuckled uncomfortably, glad of the distraction from the thoughts swirling through her head as she nodded.  “But yes, but it’s more of a precaution on the off chance a Shadow remembers who we are and tells their real selves, thus tipping them off as to what we’re up to on a subconscious level.”

“Or other Persona Users that might shadow us in order to try an murder us.” Akira felt obliged to point out. “I know Akechi managed to deduce our identities, but he had a bit of a headstart in all of this.”

“An understandable precaution in any event Joker.”  Sae agreed, only to be brought up short when Morgana transformed into his alternate form of a giant black bus.  Blinking her eyes in surprise, Sae was quick to shake her head and smirk in slight embarrassment at her own reaction when some of the group started snickering at her astonishment.

“S-sorry.”  Ann said as she covered her mouth with one latex clad hand, “but you should’ve seen the look on your face.”

“I get that a lot.”  Morgana purred as the bus’s doors opened of their own accord.  “You should’ve seen Skull’s face when I turned into a bus the first time.  Ah, memories.”

“Shuddap.”  Skull grumbled as he took a seat in the back with Makoto taking the driver’s seat despite a slightly uncomfortable glance from her sister.  “Meh, don’t worry about your sis drivin’ the Morgana-mobile. She’s gotten us out of a lot of tough spots in the past, Themis.”

“I don’t have a Persona yet.”  Sae countered, more to clarify that she, as far as she was concerned at least, wasn’t a part of the group just yet.

“But we’re still in enemy territory.”  Akira countered without missing a beat, “so we’re just erring on the side of caution.”

“Understood then, I’ll defer to your vast experience on the matter.  Queen, if you would?”

“Alright, but I suggest you hold on, Sis.”  Without further ado, Makoto punched the accelerator, and Morgana shot off into the sterile white tunnels that spread out before them in nearly every direction.  Even with the warning, Sae was pressed into the middle row of seats at the sudden acceleration, but she didn’t complain, a task made easier as she saw everyone simply relaxed, well earned confidence oozing out of them with every breath.

“This actually reminds me of a rumor I heard while we were in New York yesterday.”  Noir spoke up after only a few moments of driving deeper into the darkened, gray and white corridors, all while ignoring the occasional glance Oracle threw towards the driver’s seat.

“Now that you mention it, I remember you talking to someone the other day.  Did you hear a potential target’s name?” A curious Fox asked, to which Noir nodded her head as she adjusted the wide brim black feather hat.

“Jessamine Murray, an amatuer journalist that apparently has a habit of writing scathing tabloid pieces for the local e-magazine she works for.”  Noir informed the group, before elaborating further when she saw a number of curious expressions from those around her, Sae included, “Jessamine’s coworkers, of which one happened to be the woman I talked to, all say that she goes to some pretty big extremes to get what information she can, twisting facts where she deems necessary, and she’s been nearly arrested at least twice by now.”

“How does she even have a job still?”  Asked an astounded Sae.

“Because rumors suggest she’s in a….relationship with the man in charge.”  Noir replied delicately. “I wasn’t able to confirm the truth of said rumor, but I could tell her coworker was being honest about her well founded concerns in regards to Jessamine.  We need to find her Shadow and defeat it before it can become a full blown Palace.”

“So you not only keep new Palaces from forming, but you also help someone who’s gotten consumed by their own desires at the same time without no one being the wiser.  Impressive, especially since no one that doesn’t know about all this would ever be able to truly figure it out. If not for the fact you targeted so many high profile individuals, forming a case against you would’ve been impossible.”  Rubbing the bottom of her chin, it was easy to see that Sae was quite impressed by this latest revelation despite how annoyingly frustrating they’d been before she’d been restored to her former self.

“We try.  Of course we’re always trying to help people, but without victims willing to speak up it is at times quite difficult to find those with twisted desires.”  Haru stated matter of factly before she and the rest of the team spotted a Shadow mindlessly skittering about in the tunnel ahead. “Hey Morgana? Drive by will you?”  She asked as she brought her axe up to one shoulder, earning a number of knowing glances while Sae found herself instictively putting as much space between herself and the now darkly smiling heiress.

“Oh boy, better do what she says Mona.”  Chuckling uncomfortably as Haru opened the passenger side door of the bus, no one save for Sae batted an eyelash as Makoto punched the accelerator just as the Shadow started to turn towards the sound of Morgana’s engine.  It never had a chance as her axe cleaved into the mass of roiling darkness at full speed, cleaving it in two in a cloud of quickly dissolving shadow stuff and Morgana’s exhaust plume.

“Ah...as cathartic as ever.”  Haru beamed as she took her seat once more before setting her axe’s head against the floor, the shaft nestled between her knees.

Staring at Haru’s radiant smile was...unnerving for the former prosecutor.  “...Something tells me she does that a lot.” Sae muttered once they’d left the now completely dissolved Shadow behind.

“You get used to it, Themis.”  Futaba said, breaking her silence at last as she glanced towards Makoto.  “Ugh...are we really not gonna talk about the elephant in the bus?!”

“I was….afraid you didn’t want to.”  Makoto replied as she looked towards Oracle so quickly, she felt an uncomfortable twinge in her neck.

“Eyes on the road.” Joker admonished her lightly and signaled for her to slow down. “I’ll drive you talk, that way things get resolved without a car crash.”  Jumping out once she’d pulled over, he quickly jumped into the driver’s seat while Makoto took his vacated seat.

All the while everyone else was torn between looking towards a blushing Makoto and an equally flustered Futaba  “So, you gonna do this or not?” Ryuji eventually asked as he wolfed down a snack bar he’d brought with him. “Cause if you wanna do this alone, you’re gonna have to wait till we kick Jessawhatever-her-name-is’s ass.”

“Let them go at their own pace.” Joker called backwards without turning around, which didn’t stop him from running over a Shadow that he had ample time to avoid, the being exploding into black goo and covered the windows for a brief moment before the windshield wipers worked overtime to get them clean again.  “Thanks Mona.” Morgana’s gleeful chuckle was all the answer they got.

“Privacy...might be preferred for a change.”  Futaba eventually said as she let her goggle covered face fall so her eyes were locked on the floor between her feet.  Just as quickly though she looked up and sighed. “I do want to talk about this...whatever it is, Queen.”

“We will.”  Queen promised with a firm nod of her head.

“Good, so when we engage Ms. Murray, Oracle and Queen should stay back, guarding Themis while she observes from a safe distance till we’ve pacified the Shadow, agreed?”

“Pacified?” Ryuji wondered and scratched his left cheek. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Beat up.” Morgana supplied in car form.

“Ah, got it.”

“Fine by me.” Queen and Oracle agreed at the same time, sharing a quick glance before looking away from one another.

“I see no reason to object.” Fox muttered as he gazed out of the car windows. “Though I do hope we have time to explore this place more. Its appearance is decidedly different from the Mementos we’re familiar with.”

“Let's do this in style, Joker.” Mona declared the car shuddering lightly with the cats laughter. “We can't look bad in front of Themis after all.”

“When do we look anything but stylish?” Joker asked rhetorically, a smirk finding its way onto his face. “Alright, we should be there soon, let's have a little fun.” True enough to his words a portal could be seen at the end of the corridor, its otherworldly shifting playing tricks on their eyes, Sae nearly lost herself to the strange shifts and patterns she saw, the Phantom Thieves however were already familiar with such things and didn’t even blink as they rushed right into the shifting miasma.

As had been true many times before, there was only a rectangular room on the other side, with a single figure swirling with darkness, muttering to herself in a voice distorted by the very emotions she consisted of.  “So what if I distort the truth? Those thugs deserve every bit of bad publicity they get! I’ll make them pay for hurting him, one scathing article at a time if that’s what it takes!”

Sae couldn't help but flinch at that, weren’t those almost the exact same thoughts she once had, when she had been so very bitter about her father’s death, its circumstances and where it left her in life?  And not just hers, her sister’s as well. Despite the danger, she couldn’t help but take several steps forward as Joker and the others formed a wall of bodies between the Shadow and herself. “Funny you should mention distorting the truth.  I have a fair amount of experience in that regard.”

Turning her attention upon her, Sae grimaced when yellow, glowing eyes bore into her.  “Then you understand?! What use is the truth when it only gets in the way of what needs to be done?!”

“Not if our actions end up doing more harm than good!  Not if it ends up hurting innocent people!” Seeing a reflection of herself in Jessamine’s wild eyed glare and the way she spouted off the very same justifications she’d once used, Sae couldn’t hold herself back if she tried as her long fingered hands clenched into bloodless fists at her sides.  Ignoring the looks and shouts of concern from the Phantom Thieves, Sae got right up in the Shadow’s face. “You claim to be fighting for another person, but you’ve become consumed by that rage, that bitter anger that’s turned you against the very morales you claim to uphold. For such selfishness, you should be sent back to whatever hole you crawled out of.”

“Themis get back!”  Makoto shouted as the Shadow began to vibrate and the darkness began to swell around the woman.  Sae was well on her way though, having felt the growing danger as Jessamine growled and threw her hands wildly over her head.

“You dare to lecture me?!  You don’t know what I’ve been through!  I’ll write you all out of existence!” Her form continued to swell with darkness before it exploded, giving birth to a black and red glowing being before more colors became visible.

“Huh?” Ryuji wondered as he beheld the figure in front of them. “Doesn't look very Shadowish.”

“It looks like a-”  Yusuke began, blinking dumbly behind his mask at the sight before them now.

“Soldier.” Makoto finished and pointed to the figure’s shoulders were the chevrons of a rear admiral were easily distinguishable.  It was the face that gave her inspiration away however, as did the glowing blue orb of light being encircled by three separate metallic rings.  “Jon Grissom, the first human through the mass relay by Pluto. Fitting when you think about it.”

“No kidding.”  Oracle stated as Prometheus formed around her just as the Shadow copy of one of Earth’s greatest heroes.

“Huh… so an explorer. What's he gonna do?” Skull wondered before he barely managed to jump out of the way of projectiles that smashed the floor to pieces. “Holy shit!”

“Scatter.” Joker ordered as he moved to the side while Makoto and Oracle formed ranks in front of Sae, slowly but surely closing the distance, hoping to draw the Shadow’s fire away from the former prosecutor.  A snap draw of his pistol certainly got its attention when he fired a full cip into the Shadow’s face. It didn’t do a lot of damage, but that hadn’t been the point.

“If that's all he can do, we’re good!” Noir noted as she effortlessly dodged another shell.  As if the Shadow heard her it, turned to glare at the heiress and raised its right arm, before it brought it down in a decisive gesture. The air was filled with the screaming of incoming missiles.  A literal barrage that set everything they touched on fire, obscuring their vision with smoke and dust and simultaneously acted as a form of area denial. Not that it helped as Noir calmly stepped out of the smoke, dusting herself off as if it were nothing.  “So you’re all bang and no bite.”

Fox rolled forward, coming to a stop in a kneeling position, rifle already aimed at the admiral and pulled the trigger. To the surprise of all of them, the Shadow wasn’t hit as it threw itself to the side and actually took cover behind one of the pillars in the room.

“They can do that?” Ryuji asked in wonderment.  “Since when is that a thing?!” This was not the end of their surprises however as the Shadow suddenly held his own firearm around the pillar and began to fire at them. “Since when do they have guns?!”  Ryuji shouted as he ducked behind one of the pillars this time, jerking away from the metallic pillar when a bullet got dangerously close to his face.

“Now this is getting interesting.” Noir declared with a gleeful giggle that, given the current situation, only served to make her seem deranged as the pulled out her grenade launcher and fired at the pillar, the first shot blasting the metal apart.  Akira could briefly see the surprised visage of the Shadow before two other grenades impacted it directly in said face. Blown into the back left corner of the room, it had only just started to get to its feet before Noir was on top of it, axe already falling like a pendulum.

Rolling to the side at the last moment, her blade passed just by its face as ‘Grissom’ recovered, only to turn and see Joker’s dagger flashing towards its chest.  Catching his hand, the Shadow headbutted him before twisting the man’s knife hand behind his back. “I won’t be defeated so easily!   


Joker threw back his head, impacting the Shadow’s nose with a wet crunch and rolled away from the stumbling creature. “I’m just the distraction.”  Jumping up and away, the Shadow could only gawk as whip coiled itself around its ankle. With a pull Panther, threw it to the ground before she began to spin, dragging its body with her and threw it against another pillar.

“Whoa!  Not bad Panther!”  Morgana called out from beside Yusuke.

“Nice moves.” Joker praised her with a sly grin.

“You’ve seen nothing yet.” Panther promised him with a wink and flirtatious smile.

“Guys, now really?” Ryuji complained even as he pumped two rounds into the Shadow before switching to his baton and hitting it over the head. “Might not be the best time.”

“And they didn’t even have sex yet.”  Sae noted with a shrug, causing the fighting to stop for a brief moment as everyone simply turned to stare at her.  “What? They haven’t, right?”

“NO!”  Ann shouted as flames flared to life around her.

“We’re...not that far along yet.”  Joker murmured, his cheeks as bright as Panther’s outfit at where this conversation had gone just as he snapped his pistol up and put three more rounds into the Shadow’s face before it could recover from being thrown around the room.  The less than climactic, stylish finish to the fight aside, the Shadow at least was back to Jessamine’s original form now as she curled up into a ball, terrified of them as all Shadows tended to be when they got to this point. “Now...we need to have a nice little chat.”  Joker intoned as he and the others gathered around, with Sae once more far closer than many of them deemed safe even now that the Shadow was defeated. “Why?”

“Because no one else did anything.” The Shadow sobbed, her hands clutched tightly over her head.  “People get beaten to a pulp, homes are set ablaze, friends get shot and no one is willing to do or say anything to make it stop.  I had to take matters into my own hands, I had to expose those responsible, even if I didn’t have the proof to back up what I knew to be true!  People don’t care about the truth anymore….”

“You’re wrong.”  Sae gently whispered as she knelt and pulled the woman’s hands away from her face.  “I know what you’re going through….but my own reasons for losing my way were far less noble than yours.  Who was it that started this?”

Looking up slowly, Jessamine’s yellow eyes, no longer alight with her earlier madness, glistened with tears as they ran down her face.  “A drell….a kind man, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. They hurt him, left him to die, all because he was living in a human neighborhood.  His wife and two children….I can still hear their cries as those  _ animals  _ dragged him away.  I lived right next door, and I couldn’t...do anything, but I saw it all.  So I exposed them the only way I could.”

“And so you began to lose yourself to that guilt.”  Sae sighed and looked down to own hand. “Surviving that...being unable to change the outcome no matter how many times you go over the memory….I know that feeling, but it doesn’t make it right.”

“No….you’re right.  It got to the point I was targeting innocent people simply because they weren’t doing anything to stop those Terra Firma thugs.  I can’t...ever make amends for this can I? For all the lives I’ve ruined, the things I’ve done….”

“You can.”  Joker replied softly.  “Go back to your real self and start doing the truly right thing from here on out.”

“But the things I’ve done-”

“Are done, nothing you do will ever change that, no matter how much you wish for it, but you can change what you do from here, to do better, to actually care about the truth.  You’re right in one regard, people often don’t like the truth, for it’s often uncomfortable which is why they need to hear it. Make sure that they do.” Sae watched, enraptured, as Jessamine nodded her head before fading away, pure blue light seeming to consume and dissolve the Shadow before their eyes.  Once she’d gone, she turned to the rest of the Phantom Thieves, astonished by what she’d just witnessed. “Is it always like this?”

“It is.”  Was all Joker said as he patted Sae on a shoulder on his way by.  “You’re practically part of the group already.” He added, smiling warmly at how well she’d acquitted herself.

“And do the Shadows always seem to be relevant to whatever investigation you’re spearheading, Joker?”  Sae asked without turning to face him, unable to tear her gaze away from where the Shadow had been just moments ago.

“From time to time, yes. Not always, but usually we somehow always manage to find those that can also help us.” Makoto answered for him as she picked up what remained of the Shadow before putting away in a side pocket.  “Come on sis, we’ve done enough for one day.” Sae didn’t say a word, too lost in her own thoughts after what she’d just been a part of. While the rest of the group were chatting amicably amongst themselves, Sae was glad no one asked her a direct question as she mulled over Jessamine’s acutely similar mindset to her own once upon a time.

Having sensed the need for her to process it all, the rest had simply let her be as they drove back to the entrance, fighting the occasional Shadow, exploring the area as best they could, and generally getting a feel for what they had to contend with.  While they came out of it with a fairly large haul of loot, it was the experience that mattered, and the fact that, beyond a slight structural difference, Mementos was the same mess it had always been as they eventually came across a door that they couldn’t pass through, which spurred them to leave for the time being.

“Heh, that’s just stupid, isn’t it?” Ryuji asked them as they drove back to the entrance. “Now that we’re finally clever enough to know that being famous isn't all that it’s cracked up to be or what it’s all about, but we still have to be to advance?!  It’s just effin’ stupid!”

“At least now we know what to expect.”  Morgana intoned as he transformed back into his humanoid shape once they reached the entrance of the Mementos styled space dock.  “We’re not gonna make the same mistakes like last time.” Turning to a still silent Sae, Morgana’s ears fell flat against his head as he groaned, concerned for the woman’s wellbeing.  “You okay over there Themis?”

“Hmm?  Oh...yes I’m alright.  I was just lost in thought.”  They didn’t have to ask what was on her mind, but she smiled despite this, silently assuring them that everything was fine.  “It was just….uncomfortable, facing ‘myself’ like that, rather who I used to be.”

“I can relate to a certain degree.” Yusuke spoke up as he gazed at the woman. “Though in my case I refused to see Madarame for who he truly was.  Even though I knew the truth deep within my heart, I wasn’t prepared to accept it. If not for the others, I would have wasted away in that house until he no longer had any use for me.”

“He wasn't always like that.” Akira was quick to point out. “It’s only natural to be blind to the flaws of those closest to us.”

“While I thank you for your kind words, but I’m well aware of my foolishness, Joker.” Yusuke replied with a small smile as they began to travel back to reality as they knew it.  Coming back out in the school lounge in their student dorm, Yusuke sighed and rubbed the back of his neck at the reminder of his own shortcomings. “Still, it wasn’t all bad with Madarame, even during the time I spent with him while he was so hopelessly lost to his own desires.  He did teach me a great deal, in his way, and he kept me safe when no one else would’ve done so.”

“Just hold onto those memories dude.” Ryuji advised him and put a hand onto his shoulder. “You gotta cherish what you have, so there’s no sense in being bitter about everything.”

“Hmm?  Oh.” Glancing towards Futaba as she got an alert on her omni-tool, she quickly pulled up a message and scanned through it with her eyes alone.  “OH! They found her!”

“Found who?”  Makoto asked.

“Kasumi Goto, our infiltration instructor.”  She stated matter of factly as she quickly sent the coordinates to their next meeting point.  “She’s supposed to be one of the best thieves in this century.”

“And suddenly I’m not here.”  Sae said as she chuckled and clapped her hands over her ears.

“Hmm?” Yusuke asked and glanced at her before his eyes lit up in understanding. “I see, so you choose to ignore our shady connections in an effort to aid us, you have my gratitude.” He told her seriously as he lightly bowed in her direction, although when he looked up again his eyes lit up as he turned to Akira and Ann. “And for gifting me with inspiration!  Akira, Ann, I would very much like to draw the two of you naked, I believe the passion between the two of you would make for a magnificent painting.”

“Yusuke, we talked about this.” Haru corrected him gently.

He nodded at her rapidly, his face an apologetic grimace at his slip up.  “You are right of course, Haru. I apologize.” With that he turned back to the two of them and began anew. “Akira, Ann, can I draw the two of you naked, please?”

“How is that any different?” Ryuji wondered out loud.

“He did said please.” Morgana supplied tiredly.

“That doesn't make it any better!”  Shouted a mortified Ann.

“No.” Morgana agreed with a sigh. “No it doesn't.”

Sae could only walk away with a laugh as the room devolved into yet another round of their energetic bickering.  Despite her own thoughts about the woman they’d helped, and how it pertained to her former distortion, Sae glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Futaba pull Makoto aside.  Whatever came next, she had faith in a positive outcome. Still, she paused, glanced over her shoulder, and blinked when there was….no one behind her. Shaking her head at the feeling she was being watched, Sae sighed and decided maybe today had been more stressful than she thought….

**End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _ So yes, that happened, a crash course tutorial for Sae, or perhaps rather Themis, on how they do things, in style and with lots of violence apparently. Although one can hardly argue with the results, they are pretty much the epitome of “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”.  I’d like to try that too sometime, but I fear that my stupid mobile just won’t download the Metaverse Navigator. Also, new Shadows because well, it’s a new age so the older ones get new friends to play and murder with, yay I guess? _

**_Vergil1989_ ** :   _ Hehe, ain’t that the truth?  That and considering how far they’ve come, a few measly Shadows are gonna be laughably easy to contend with.  Even the ‘mini boss’ in the form of John Grissom of the Systems Alliance Navy was more of a low level annoyance than an actual threat.  Haru just walked through a missile barrage as if she hadn’t even felt it, but as for WHY Grissom was a Shadow in the first place, that’s easy to explain.  As Nomad said, it’s a new age of discovery, heroes, villains, and mythical figures on every side, and as the first man through the relay network, it only made sense that Grissom would hold such importance to a lot of people back on Earth.  At any rate, we do apologize for the delay, and while updates are gonna likely be sporadic since I’m still working on a book I’m hoping I might actually publish one day soon, we haven’t forgotten this by any means. But as always, carpe diem everyone.  : D _


	17. Heaven's Wrath

**Chapter 17**

**Heaven’s Wrath**

 

**Location:  Tokyo, Japan. Kanda Church**

**Date:  Sunday, April 25th, 2182.  Late Afternoon Rainy**

Staring at the dilapidated yet still standing church where Hifumi Togo had once taught him the fine art of Shogi, despite her own lackluster skills at the time, Akira glanced to the front doors and sighed at the flood of memories that flashed behind his gray eyes.  Between her and Yusuke’s antics in this very building, he was surprised no one had thought it a good idea to burn the place down. A thought that had him chuckling to himself as he pushed the heavy doors aside before holding one for Ann and the rest of the ladies of the group.

It was strange, Akira had to admit, that a building he had once been so familiar with now felt so very different.  Of course, thanks to the passage of time, it looked somewhat different as well, but that wasn't what put him off. If anything, the fact that it almost looked the same only made the whole experience even stranger for him. There was now a feeling of age in the building that seemed to bear down on him, of events long since past that hadn't been here the last time he’d been inside.  And he wasn’t the only one affected as he glanced towards Yusuke, who looked mildly uncomfortable as well, his eyes darting to and fro over the faded interior. “I wonder why this Ms. Goto asked us to come here?”

The flicker of blue, as if there was localized static in the vague shape of a person, was all the warning they had before a woman in a low riding black hood appeared behind Yusuke, a mischievous smile just visible on her pale face.  “Because I like old places like this. And I wanted to see the ones I was hired teach to be master thieves. Gotta say I wasn’t expecting kids fresh outta high school.”

“You gotta start young if you wanna become a pro, right?” Ryuji asked with a grin as he and the rest of the group looked her over.  Predictably, the former track star liked what he saw and gestured towards the petite woman as she all but sauntered through the center of their group.  “Just look at her guys, she looks like a real pro thief! Shady, hides her face, can turn invisible, and is so tiny she can fit almost anywhere, she’s perfect!”

“She _can_ hear you, you know?” Kasumi said with an amused smile. “Still good to see you so fired up, kid.” With that she turned invisible again, her voice echoing through the church. “Now, what can little old me do for you exactly?”

“We’d be interested in… studying under you.” Akira replied, his Third Eye active, which made it impossible for him to lose sight of her as she shone with a pale blue light to his supernatural senses.  “I’ve heard you’re the best thief in the business, so who better to show us the ropes?”

“Hmm…” She suddenly decloaked again, having made her way to the far end of the church so she could sit on the altar, one long, black pant covered leg crossing over the other before looking at them with a little pout on her face. “Not sure I wanna babysit you guys…and how come you seem the only one able to follow me with your eyes, fuzzy hair?”

“I’m a Jedi.” Joker shot back without missing a beat.

“Right.”  Her tone, while amused, had a sarcastic ring to it.

“What's more likely?  For me to sense your presence? Or for someone barely out of highschool to have built something that can penetrate your cloak?”

“That's fair… so you gonna teach me too, Yoda?”  Kasumi asked as she cocked her head to the side, her eyes falling on Ann who hovered none too subtly over Akira’s right shoulder.  “Jealous type much?”

“What?!  N-no….not really.”  Ann trailed off, her flushed cheeks only adding evidence to the contrary.

“I like her, she’s almost as talented as I am.” Morgana decided with a yawn as he settled on Akira’s shoulder, content to stare at the master thief with incredibly bright blue eyes. “Can I keep her?”

“We can’t bring every stray home with us Morgana.  If you wanna keep her, you gotta feed her too.” Akira admonished him sarcastically and ignored the weird look Kasumi threw his way.  Deciding to return to the matter at hand before they could spook her more, Akira sighed but smiled reassuringly. “It’s weird, but there are some days I swear this cat’s talking.”

“Right….well, since this is a paying job, I suppose I can ignore the crazy.”

“Hey, look at it this way.” Akira suggested as he took off his glasses as his grin turned smug. “How many thieves can claim that they trained their betters, their successors who would outshine their every achievement?”

“Aren’t you a little young for little ol me, tryin’ to appeal to my ego like that?”  Kasumi asked, but smirked as she hopped down from the altar. “I will say you’ve got something about you fuzzy hair.  Hmm….well, as long as the crazy isn’t contagious, I guess I can think about slotting you in my ever so busy schedule.”

“We’re eternally grateful for your divine mercy, oh great Kasumi.” He snarked right back and even mock bowed in her direction. “So… when do we start?”

Rolling her eyes at the gesture, Kasumi soon stopped in front of the group, her hands folded behind her back.  “Heh, humor will get you far, but I would like to know who I’m talking too.”

“Akira Kurusu, at your service.”  He told her with a charming grin and a much more honest, and truthfully, stylish bow as well. “An honor to make your acquaintance.”

“You gonna kiss her hand next?” Ryuji asked as he watched his leader’s theatrics. “Just saying, you’re giving off the vibe right now.”

“Ah, would that I could but my lips are only meant for one Lady my friend.” Akira told him and sent a smirk at the thoroughly blushing Ann.

“Hah, smooth talker too I see.” Kasumi noted as she cocked a hip. “I think getting you into shape could be fun after all, for me at least.  So what about the rest of you?” As each of them introduced themselves, Akira and Ryuji noted that Kasumi’s hands seemed oddly still behind her back.  With a subtle nod to Futaba, the hacker didn’t disappoint as she idly stretched and folded her own omni-tool clad arm behind her back. He knew they were caught when Kasumi’s eyes gleamed in approval as she held up her arm, revealing the glow of her own omni-tool, which bore a warning that she was being hacked.  “Not bad. Sharp eyes, perceptive, and you didn’t have to say a word to your friend for her to try and get into my personal space.”

“I do my best.”  Futaba boasted proudly.  “You’ve got some pretty heavy security on that thing though.  I barely got through the first layer before alarms started going off.”

“And now I know where the brains lies at least.”  Kasumi mused, clearly liking this situation more and more.  “It’s taken a while to get the specs to my liking, maybe we can compare notes sometime?”

The grin that appeared on Futaba’s face had only been seen one other time, when she’d been hacking most of Japan's airwaves in order to deliver their last calling card to Shido.  “Hehehehe, from one hacker to another, I can get behind that.”

“If we can get back to the matter at hand?”  Yusuke chimed in as politely as he could. “I believe some haste is imperative, is it not?”

“Right, we wanna stick it to-”

“Ryuji.” Makoto cut off the blond runner with a chilling glare. “What did we say about keeping your mouth in check?”

“Oh, right….sorry Qu-...I mean Makoto.”  He corrected himself in a hurry, no doubt aided by the jab from her elbow to his stomach.

Akira shrugged at the curious look they were now subjected to from the hooded woman. “What can we say? We also have some personal stake in this, not exactly surprising is it?”

“No, but it _is_ unusual to find people like you in this business already having an axe to grind against someone else.”  She noted but shrugged in turn since it she likely deemed it none of her concern at the end of the day.

“That solely depends on whoever has done something to deserve it, right? I bet you could also name at least one person you have an axe to grind with.”

“Oh I could give you a list, although most of my marks have been taken care of.  Except for one, but he’s….well, it’s gonna take some time to set up the perfect heist.”  Whatever she’d been about to say, Kasumi minutely flinched before changing her mind mid sentence, although she did her best to make her pause seem natural.  To their eyes though, she might as well have waved a neon sign around. No one felt compelled to ask what had happened, but they noted it all the same, while Kasumi seemed subtly grateful for the fact they didn’t press for more details.  And soon enough she was moving again anyway, beckoning them to follow her before disappearing from sight once more. “Well, if we’re going to do this, might as well take you to a spot I scouted out earlier.”

Joker followed her without hesitation, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves followed his lead without a second thought, trusting his judgment implicitly. It took him a few moments to notice, but unconsciously they had split up into their usual infiltration sized groups, and had fallen back into their familiar moveset, if one wanted to call it that.  Their feet hit the ground without a sound and they seemed to blend with the shadows without effort. All of which didn’t escape Kasumi’s notice as she led them out of the church, and towards an old, long abandoned construction yard. Piles of metallic girders, pipes, stacks of wooden palettes, bricks, and more were scattered about a half finished building, most of its walls having been left unfinished.  The network of steel beams and pipes intermixed with the still remaining catwalks, made for a veritable obstacle course, or a good way to lose potential pursuers with little problem. “I’m getting the impression you were prepared to lose us if we proved to your dissatisfaction.”

“A girl’s always gotta be prepared, but I’m still debating whether or not you’re playing me for a fool with how silently you all made it here and with such near perfect coordination to boot.”  Accused a rightfully suspicious Kasumi as she spun in place before starting to walk backwards without missing a step.

“Well… suffice to say that we had to do some things in the past that gave us a bit of experience in that regard.” Akira told her innocently as he looked at her with wide doe eyes.

“One of our former teachers was involved in illicit activities, but because of who he was and his accomplishments, none of the parents involved wanted to do anything about him, and the teachers and even our principal turned a blind eye.”  Makoto informed the thief, who paused, openly intrigued by this strange turn.

“That bad?”

“He raped my best friend, she tried to commit suicide, and still no one would do anything about him.” Ann told her, a mask of ice cold anger shrouding her otherwise beautiful face.

“I take it back, that’s even worse.”  To their surprise, Kasumi flickered into sight just in front of Ann, and while she jumped back a little, the master thief merely put a hand on Ann’s shoulder.  While the majority of her face was still concealed, enough was visible to them to see the genuine sympathy etched into her features. “I’ve dealt with slavers, mercenaries, and worse in my career as a master thief, so I know first hand just how bad people can be.  As you might imagine, I have a very strong dislike for such people for my own reasons.” Just as quickly she stepped back and nodded, no doubt having come to a decision about them. “And I take it the rest of you have similar stories?”

“We do.”  Haru intoned solemnly, but sincerely, a fact that wasn’t lost on their newest tutor.

“Yeah, we really are a bunch of misfits.” Ryuji agreed with her, and sent a grin at his friends that was tinged with his own bad memories from their Shujin days. “So if you wanna keep your distance from so much crazy, now's your chance, just don't say we didn't warn ya.”

“Hmm….nah.”  Kasumi declined with a shake of her hooded head before she waved her hands in gentle dismissal.  “Besides, my life was getting rather boring, and it’s bad business turning down the kind of money your friends in the Kirijo Group have already put up front.  And yes, I did my homework, no self respecting thief goes into a job blind.”

“On that we can agree with.”  Futaba stated with a firm nod of her head.  “It’s how I got these guys to help me out way back when.”

“Are you kiddin?!  You effin’ extorted us!”  Ryuji said as he rounded on the unapologetic hacker.

“Well Makoto blackmailed us.”  Ann was quick to point out, much to the girl’s mild embarrassment even as she shrugged in silent agreement in the same breath.

“Yusuke pretty much wanted to call the police on us if you didn't pose nude for him.” Akira added as an afterthought.

“That...was rather foolish of me in hindsight.”  Yusuke admitted sheepishly.

Kasumi chuckled at their back and forth before turning her gaze back on Akira.  “If nothing else fuzzy hair, I get the feeling working with you guys will be pretty entertaining.”  Akira didn’t doubt that for a moment. Even so, he glanced at Ann’s shoulder, where Kasumi had put her hand earlier, and frowned when he thought he saw a flicker of blue light before it just as quickly disappeared.  Using his Third Eye, he smiled in understanding before just as quickly looking elsewhere. Smiling to himself all the same, he caught up with the rest of the group as they moved to follow Kasumi deeper into her makeshift obstacle course.  If nothing else, she’d already proven to be quite interesting, and he doubted that would change anytime soon. Now the question remained on how to break it to the rest of the group about the cloaked tracking and possibly listening device Kasumi had left on Ann’s shoulder, without tipping off the thief in question…

Catching Morgana’s eye, he made a few short hand signs, explaining the situation to his friend before the cat shaped thief relayed the information to the rest of the team. If Kasumi was listening in right now, she’d hear nothing but meows, unless she’d been to the Metaverse, in which case they’d have to worry about more than just being overheard.  Still, while Akira assured them, via Morgana, that he didn’t think Kasumi was out to hurt them in some fashion, he still nodded towards the thief as she nimbly made her way up to a higher platform before telling them to try and keep up, to keep an eye on her moving forward. A task Futaba was happy to take over once things settled down a bit.

The rest of their afternoon made the Phantom Thieves happy that all of their running around in numerous palaces had given them quite a bit of muscle and endurance, because Kasumi proved every bit as agile in her chosen profession as her reputation had suggested she’d be.  Futaba, naturally, did the worst from a purely physical standpoint, but she still did better than most of them had thought she’d do as she and the rest of them clambered over makeshift ramps, climbed up and around the metallic catwalks, and ran through the criss crossing network of pipes and metal beams as quickly as they could, all in the hopes of keeping up with the master thief, who was always just out of their reach.  “Keep up kiddos, don’t quit before we even start!” She called down from two floors higher than the rest of them, grinning widely as she casually stood on a narrow beam as if it wasn’t hundreds of feet off the ground, the wind and the heavy rain pulling at her hood all the while, as if determined to pull her back down to Earth.

“Yeah, seriously guys you can do better than that.” Morgana agreed from his spot on Akira’s shoulder as he looked back at them.

“Says the cat gettin’ an effin’ free ride.”  Ryuji grumbled darkly under his breath.

“He’s smarter than the rest of us.”  Makoto muttered, while Akira led the way forward, as was typical of him, even as he too showed signs of fatigue.  “I think I can safely say….I’m never going mountain climbing again after this.” She grimaced when a hand slipped from the railing, only for Futaba of all people to catch her hand before she could begin to fall down to the lower floor they’d just left.

“We’re almost to the top.  If I can make it….so can you.”  She wheezed, her long brown locks matted to her back and forehead, her glasses eskew, but the gleam in her eyes was enough to encourage Makoto to push forward as she bodily pulled Makoto’s hand onto the railing she’d missed in her first attempt.

“You alright?” Joker asked even as he swung his way further upward, turning to glance at Makoto before pulling himself the rest of the way up to the next level. When she gave him a firm nod in return, a smirk blossomed on his face as he returned it and continued on after checking on the rest of his team.  Knowing they were being judged from literally on high, Akira looked up, and sure enough, found Kasumi’s approving smile despite her face largely being concealed beneath her hood.

“I have to say…”  Haru began as she and Yusuke climbed side by side together, “this is actually quite fun despite the fall that awaits us if we slip up at any point.”

“Did you have to bring that up?”  Yusuke muttered uncomfortably as he visibly tried not to look down at the reminder.  “I’ve been trying not to think about it.”

“At least there’s an incredible view from up here.”  Ryuji said as he peered out onto the city on every side.  Despite the rain making everything precariously wet and slippery, the view was indeed pretty spectacular.  “No wonder you like climbin’ around like this teach!”

“You wouldn’t believe how many amazing panoramic shots I’ve taken during my many jobs from one end of the galaxy to the other.”  She called back as they began to assemble just beneath her, all of them clearly exhausted, but Akira she noted was smiling approvingly, having no doubt figured out the little test behind her climbing session.  “And as always, your leader proves the most observant of the lot of you.”

“I think we can all agree as to what your game was.”  Makoto stated even as she and Futaba flopped out onto their backs on the hard metallic floor, side by side each other.  “You wanted to see if we’d leave each other behind in an effort to reach the top first, thus earning your attention over the others, or so we would think if we were driven by ego alone.”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Kasumi admitted with a shrug. “Gotta say you really surprised me, most people your age are…less mature than you guys are.”

“We’ve had to become what we are out of necessity.”  Yusuke stated firmly, but kindly as he and Haru leaned against each other, just as much covered in sweat as the rest of them.  “Not only that, but we’ve….endured more hardships than most can claim at our age. Hardships we couldn’t have overcome on our own.  It is only through the strength offered by my friends that I am who I am today. A debt I will never forget, no matter what is put before me.”

“Here here, Inari.”  Futaba cheered tiredly.

“Got it in one man.”  Ryuji agreed.

“Well as awesome as that sounds, it’s also kinda depressing.  You’re young, shouldn’t you be worried about the next exam?” Kasumi asked and scrunched up her nose. “I mean, sure, when I was your age, I was already busy stealing stuff, but I’d like to think I’m an exception.  We do what we must to survive after all, but I tried to have fun while doing it.” She said with a shrug, but it wasn’t hard to pick up on the fact she had likely endured her own personal hardships along the way. That didn’t stop her from asking, “I feel like there’s something big you’re not telling me about yourselves, but since we’re only on our first date, I’ll leave it alone for now.  Besides, we thieves need our mystery after all, can’t go blabbing all of our trade secrets, otherwise what’s the point?” She chuckled, hopped down from the beam, and casually walked past Ann, her hand passing over the girl’s shoulder as she went. Akira smiled as he ‘saw’ the device she’d left had been pocketed. If nothing else, it seemed she trusted them enough not to try and find out where they called home.

“Alright, kiddos. That’s enough for today, but you’re enough fun for me to stick around… for a while, same time, same place on Thursday? I’ll even buy the drinks.”  She promised, earning a round of tired but cheerful exclamations. “Sounds like a date then. Now, let’s see about getting you guys down, preferably without you ending up as street pizzas.”  A few quick taps on her omni-tool later, and Kasumi smirked openly as a black, stylish looking car stopped just shy of their level on the half constructed building. “I’ll have to make two trips, but at least you get a chance to ride in style.”

“Oh I am so loving this woman!”  Ryuji cried, his face split in two by a wide grin.

“I want one.” Morgana declared as he looked at the car in front of them. “No… I’ll become one!”

“Alright! Let's do it Mona! Transform!” Futaba encouraged the cat who suddenly looked anything but confident.

“Uh… right now I- I don't think I- not in front of her!  We must keep our secret!” Morgana protested, even as Haru, Yusuke, Makoto, and Futaba made their way to the waiting vehicle.

Before she climbed aboard, Futaba turned and sighed.  “And this is why you’ll never get to the next level. No risk, no reward.”  She pointed out, and joined Makoto in the back seat of Kasumi’s ride. Once everyone was situated, the doors that had swung up like a pair of wings smoothly came down, sealing them inside before the thief took off right for street level.

“Grrr….”  Mona groaned, his ears falling to the sides of his head before just as quickly perking up.  “So about that tracking device….”

“Kasumi took it back.”  Ann stated, surprising those that were left, save for Akira, that she’d noticed at all.  Tapping a finger against the bottom of her chin, the blonde added, “I don’t think she trusts us quite yet, but as long as we don’t give her a reason to doubt us, I don’t think we’d need to worry about her even if she _did_ find out where we lived at the moment.”

“She did seem pretty impressed we didn’t try to stab each other in the back.”  Ryuji said next as he got to his feet, one hand on his formerly bad knee as he gingerly rubbed the sore joint.  While it was a phantom pain normally, a reminder of what Kamoshida had taken away from him, this time it was a genuine, and good, ache from all of the climbing they’d done.  “Can’t say I blame her for thinkin’ so though, not if she’s dealt with the kind of people she talked about for as long as she made it sound.”

“Yeah, after all, Shido did pretty much the same with having Akechi deal with ‘loose ends’.” Ann pointed out uncomfortably. “I guess… that's something that influential villains have in common.”

“The successful ones anyway.”  Morgana noted with a nod of his head once he’d jumped down from Akira’s shoulder about the same time Kasumi’s car started to make its way back up to their floor.  “Of course, they aren’t doing so well when we get done with them.” He cackled, and bounded over to the waiting vehicle the moment the doors opened, leaving the rest to sigh or smile at the cat’s seemingly perpetual arrogance.

“If he scratches the leather, I’m leaving him in a storm drain.”  Kasumi warned from the front seat as the rest followed suit, a soft chuckle quick to follow when Morgana froze and looked ready to jump right back out.  “I can see why you’d think he can understand you though.”

“He is pretty clever… most of the time.” Akira conceded with a shrug. “But despite all the headaches he causes, he’s one of the best friends you could have if you give him the chance.”  Morgana meowed and nuzzled his head against the young man’s neck once he’d taken his seat, before holding his hand out for Ann. A silent ‘thank you’ was enough for Akira as he pulled her into the car, with Ryuji rolling his eyes at them.

“Yeesh, you two are enough to give a guy diabetes.”  Ryuji grumbled as he clambered into the front passenger seat.  “At least I get to sit with teach.” He cheered, and leaned back, his hands folded behind his head.

“Better hold on there kiddo.” Kasumi told him mischievously as she accelerated rapidly, nearly throwing Ryuji out of his seat. “Otherwise it might get a little bumpy.”  She added, the twinkle in her eyes far brighter as Ryuji was thrown about.

“This is… awesome!” Ryuji declared once he’d pulled his face off the passenger side door, a huge grin splitting his face despite how quickly the ground was approaching as the car dove nearly straight down from the half finished building’s upper floors.

“Huh… not the kind of reaction I was expecting.” Kasumi muttered to herself as her hooded eyes glanced into the mirror. “Hey blondie, could you keep an eye on the two lovebirds in the back? I don't want any stains on the seats.”

“Wha-” Ann began before stopping herself, a bright blush lighting up her face.  Joker, while more composed, had the same reaction when Kasumi began giggling in the front seat.

“Ha, gotcha.” She singsonged, “Good to know even your composure can be shaken a bit, fuzzy.”

“Some things just don’t change.”  Akira mock grumbled but smiled, happy to endure the good natured ribbing.  Still, as Kanda Church soon filled the windshield as their vehicle leveled off, he couldn’t help but wonder what the rest of their friends back home would think of all this?

**Location:  Saracino’s Palace**

**Date:  Monday, April 26th, 2182.  Late Afternoon Cloudy**

“Are we finally at the actual entrance to this damned place?”  Ryuji grumbled as they made their way through yet more of Saracino’s ‘Garden of Eden’.  “Yeesh this effin’ D-bag has a giant ego if he really does think himself as a god.”

Staring at the layout of the terrain they’d been able to map out, Joker glanced towards Oracle as she blew up the holographic map she’d been able to create as they moved deeper into the human centric ‘Paradise’.  “I think we’re getting close to something pretty important. I’m getting all kinds of readings from a central location, and given the locale, I’m betting it’s a temple or a chapel of some kind.”

“It wasn’t uncommon for villages and small towns to have the church be near the center, where everyone could have ready access to it.  And given the importance of such places back in those days, it stands to reason Saracino might follow the same logic.” Makoto informed them all.

“Makes sense.”  Joker agreed as Futaba closed down the map with a wave of a hand over the holographic interface Prometheus provided her with.  “Let’s go. Queen, Mona, Yusuke, with me. The rest, you know what to do.” The chorus of replies quickly followed, with the teams splitting up as Joker took point.  Sliding his way through a narrow alleyway between two enormous skyscrapers, their facades the same gaudy gold and silver like most of the city thus far, their roofs overflowing with brightly colored plantlife, a few with waterfalls going partway down the side of a few more, Joker was the first to see the temple in the exact center of the city.  “Ego doesn’t begin to cover it.” He breathed out as his eyes struggled to take in the titanic structure that reached towards the heavens themselves, complete with a glowing, golden stairway leading well past the thick, dark clouds.

“A stairway to heaven, really?!  This guy makes Shido seem tame!” Mona protested while Queen and Yusuke could only gawk at the sight laid out before them.

“Never have I thought to gaze upon such hubris.”  Yusuke muttered as he took in the sight before him. “This entire place is nothing but a manifestation of his endless arrogance without any beauty to it.”  The golden, gigantic temple to Saracino’s madness was about what they’d come to expect from all of their previous forays into the Metaverse. Cocking his head to the side, Fox’s brow furrowed behind his mask, a thoughtful noise soon escaping his throat.  “I feel like I’ve seen something like this before.”

“Hmm...now that you mention it, it does look strangely familiar.”  Makoto agreed as she too took in the pyramid like structure before them.  While the bottom half of the temple looked like it could’ve been a much grander knockoff of the megachurch in New York, where Charles had held his little gathering, the top half looked ancient in a way, as if he’d decided to rip off the top of one of the Great Pyramids and slap it on top of the otherwise grand facade of the lower portion.  Grand, large brickwork in the same gold as the rest of it, tall floor to roof windows bearing Saracino’s likeness as he raised a flaming sword, leading his minions in glorious battle as angelic warriors flew down upon the land, chasing down the ‘demons’ of his perfect world, and a large, marble staircase leading up to an equally large set of double stone doors, equally covered in stone carvings and engravings that similarly spoke of Saracino’s ‘glory’ at the cost of the aliens of the galaxy.

“It’s a cheap knockoff of Stargate’s pyramid ships.”  Oracle informed them once she’d caught up, with the rest of the team keeping to the shadows for the time being.  “Either that or a rip off of a Destiny 2 DLC where you run around in some void touched Emperor’s palace. Whatever the case, he’s clearly a sci-fi fan.  Look to either side and tell me those don’t look like giant engines to you?” While they were currently inactive, Joker’s eyes were immediately drawn to the monolithic pillars that surrounded the temple, which were attached by long, large walkways that were similarly surrounded by a series of long pipes and power conduits.  “I’m betting there’s more underneath the building too, allowing the entire temple to fly off if he needs to make a fast getaway.”

“Which means he’s afraid of something.”  An intrigued Joker stated as he shared a look with the rest of his team.  “Either that or he’s planning to leave Earth behind.” Haru nodded, understanding immediately where he was going with his line of thinking.

“Let’s at least see what we have to work with before we speculate further.”  Makoto advised, to which the rest nodded in silent agreement.

“Let’s go knock on Heaven’s door then.”  Chuckling at his own joke, the rest only rolled their eyes or palmed their faces at the terrible pun as Joker led the way towards the temple’s grand front doors. They didn’t so much as knock as they simply pushed open the doors was what they actually did, revealing a huge luminescent room made of the purest marble.  But with no guardians directly insight, a feeling of wariness descended upon them. Too often had they faced the Shadows of the Palace owners’ and their lieutenants before, that there was a feeling in the air that heralded the coming of conflict. Still, despite the gaudy exterior, the interior was far more….divinely inspired, was the best way to describe what their eyes were telling them.

“At least his interior decorator seems to know what they’re doing.”  Ryuji grumbled, impressed in a disgusted fashion.

“But we’re inside his cognition, so isn't his interior decorator Charles Saracino himself?” Fox asked with a bewildered blink. “Or perhaps this merely represents a different aspect of his character?”

“Uh…” Skull began before simply throwing his hands up in their air. “Nevermind… not what I meant anyway.”

The main hall they found themselves in was just as big as the exterior had suggested at a glance, but everything was either made of marble stonework, gold, silver, or some strange fusion of the two.  Candelabras hung from the ceiling, each candle encased in crystal, with a crystalline central chandelier that tinkled softly on an unseen breeze. An enormous grand organ resided against the back wall of the main hall, the large, golden pipes snaking their way up towards the ceiling, concealed partially by equally impressive angelic cherubs and figures flying through golden clouds, with a row of varnished stone pews leading up to a statue of the man himself beneath the central chandelier, a flaming sword in one hand, and a ring of thorns in the other.  That it happened to look like a slave collar wasn’t lost on the group as their gazes swept over the otherwise ‘divinely’ dressed Charles, pure white robes just concealing a suit of golden armor underneath.

It was the shadowy, smoky shape behind the man’s statue however that soon drew Joker’s gaze.  Cocking his head to the side, he was fairly sure if he concentrated hard enough, the smoky wisps of black parted just enough to reveal a man, his face a black void, wearing a finely tailored black suit, a pair of curved horns curling away from a head of otherwise immaculately black hair with just a hint of gray around the bangs.  “Does anyone else see that?” Joker asked, and turned to see everyone had also let their eyes fall on the shadowy figure behind Saracino’s statue.

“Maybe it’s the real power behind the throne?”  Mona asked as he hopped down to the floor, transforming in mid leap as he did so he was standing on his own feet.  “Whoever that is, they might be responsible for why Charles is the way he is now.”

“No.” Joker disagreed with the last assessment and narrowed his eyes. “It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”

“It’s more likely this shadowy entity helped put him in the position he’s in now.”  Noir stated, having more experience than any of them with such manipulations given how close her father had been with Shido before the latter had had the former disposed of.  “Politics aren’t cheap, so having financial backing outside of fundraisers and charity balls are all but a necessity, depending on one’s planned destination. The higher up the chain of command you go, the more expensive it becomes to remain in any position to sway public opinion to your favor.”

“And with Saracino making moves to try and weasel his way into the Alliance’s government, it’s no surprise then he’d need support outside of his Terra Firma allies.”  Fox elaborated, catching onto his partner’s line of thought.

They all breathed a little easier when the temple doors slammed shut behind them, and the ceiling began to glow with golden light as a swirling vortex appeared just beneath the central chandelier.  “ **_Who dares trespass on God’s domain?!_ ** ”  A booming voice ripped through the main hall, with another angelic warrior falling from the portal.  A powerful flap of its golden, feathery wings halfway to the floor, and the angel hovered several feet off the ground, a shield in one hand bearing the same thorny ring, and a flaming, blue wreathed sword in the other.  “ **_This is the Lord Saracino’s most holy ground, the seat of his glory!  Interlopers and non-believers do not belong here!_ ** ”

“Blow it out your ass you giant feather duster!  This gaudy temple ain’t jack shit, and neither is your boss!”  Skull shouted, a hand waved angrily in front of him before he readied his giant staff.

 ** _“You dare insult this world’s saviour?!”_** The angelic creature bellowed as it began to glow red and black with rage, the blue flames around its longsword flaring brighter with intensity to match its murderous intent. **_“You shall suffer for this transgression!”_**

“Not before you.”  Joker intoned, his face split into a confident grin as Arsene took shape behind and above him. Its black wings spreading behind him, chains rattling as twilight descended in his wake.

 **_“Fallen! You would deny our Father’s glory?!  In his own house?!”_ **  Leveling his sword in Joker’s direction, the angelic guard glared balefully down upon him alone through the slits of its otherwise all encompassing helmet.

“He is no father of mine.” Joker told him as curses were hurled towards the golden winged shadow. “But don't worry, these chains will drag you down to Hell itself!”  Several fast moving orbs of crimson flames shot towards the would be guardian, curved upward at the last second as it tried to bring its sword to bear, only to slam down upon him from on high.  The angel, surprisingly, only growled something quite unflattering in a voice that was no longer pure and clean.

When it looked up, the helmet had fallen, revealing the truth of their enemy as devilish horns curled upward from the Shadow’s twisted, warped visage.  “Hmph, I might’ve known.” Fox shook his head in disappointment as the true face of the devil in angelic garb revealed itself, the radiance of its wings fading, becoming leathery, sharply taloned mockeries of themselves as the golden feathers, now blackened and charred, fell to the stone in droves before they faded in wisps of foul smelling smoke.  “You pretend to serve from on high, but your true nature is revealed for all to see! And you have the arrogance to call us fallen?!” A wordless, hate filled hiss was the only answer he received as the hellish creature tried to slice him apart with its elongated claws, its sword having disappeared when it charged with a flap of its leathery wings. In a display of undeniable skill, Fox parried each of these attacks gracefully aside and landed back between his friends without receiving so much as a scratch.  “Your rage gives way to ineptitude it seems. How appropriate.”

The moment the attack ended, Queen was there, jumping up and over Fox as he bent down without needing to be told, her fist leading.  Wreathed in frigid air, she slammed into the demon’s jaw, hard, half of his face seemingly melting beneath her nuclear and frost empowered strike, even as he was left reeling from the incredibly powerful attack.  Landing in a crouch, Makoto glared daggers of her own at the ‘angel’, throwing her arms out behind her with a cry of, “ **Anat**!”  The nuclear detonation that followed had the demon slamming into the statue, face first, leaving it all but helpless as it fell upon an altar at the feet of the statue, which had started to teeter back before righting itself by some small miracle.

Mona, true to form, had since gotten into position, and cackled devilishly as he jumped on the Shadow’s back just as it’d began to push its way to its feet.  His scimitar found a new home at the top of its right wing, before he dragged it down all the way to the base, severing it so that the demon fell to the ground in a heap once more.  “Tsk, too easy!” He grinned as he jumped up and away, his slingshot coming out in the same instant. A single shot between the eyes before he landed, and the demon’s head was thrown to the side, dazed and confused from the double whammy.  “Meowhahaha! It’s good to be back!”

“ **Astarte** !” Noir shouted and directed her angry gaze at the prone from of the enemy. “Eradicate this **_thing_ **!” Her Persona was quick to oblige her wishes as a projectile seemed to appear out of thin air only to smash into the prone demon with incredible force, shattering the ground beneath it and kicking up dust through the entirety of the building even as the windows strained to handle the shockwave that had been unleashed.  The glorified devil sized feather duster was summarily disintegrated, leaving only fast fading ash behind which turned into fading shadow stuff. “We were right about one thing at least. This man’s entire act is just that, a facade to hide his truly malicious intentions.”

“....Malicious to you, child.”  Noir gasped as she and the rest turned to see a much smaller figure walking down from a large, flight of stairs leading up to a higher level of the temple on the far right of the grand piano. Its face was hidden by the blinding light of a halo behind its head, which hurt their eyes to look at it directly.  There was no mistaking the ‘everyman’ voice of Charles Saracino though, as he came down the rest of the stairs in nothing but a simple white robe, tattered and frayed at the edges, with a pair of simple wooden sandals on his feet. “But it is merely a matter of one’s perspective. Just as the great flood was necessary to cleanse the Earth, so is this necessary to keep my children safe.”

“Yeah? Well screw you and your effin’ reading light! Just you wait and I’ll shove it so far up your ass that you’ll see the shine when you speak!” Skull shouted at the would be god representation of Charles Saracino.

“Wrath is clearly your sin of choice.”  ‘Charles’ chuckled as he crossed his arms over his chest.  Even without being able to see his face, they could tell he was grinning arrogantly down upon them all.  “You’ve overstayed your welcome, non-believers. I respectfully ask you to leave my holy temple, before I am forced to smite you from existence itself.”

“Been there, done that.”  Oracle stated dismissively.

“Very well, but as you are exiled from Paradise, try to remember that I do all this because I care.” With that he lifted one hand and clenched it into a fist. Joker’s eyes widened as he dashed in front of Mona, taking the lightning strike meant for his friend. The deafening boom was bad enough as the light from the flash blinded them all, but Akira had other things on his mind.  Mainly the agony coursing through every cell of his body, the sheer power being enough to make Joker take a knee, smoke curling off of his body as sight returned to them.

“J-Joker!”  Mona cried, his blue eyes wide as saucers at how easily Charles had all but struck down their leader with a single attack.  “If that’d been me….” He couldn’t finish the thought, glad that they were alive at all.

“No way?!”  Panther gasped, her hands already in the motion of throwing a healing spell his way.  “How is he this strong?!”

“How’d he know what to try to hit Mona with so quickly?!”  Fox exclaimed.

“I’m...gonna take a guess and say he’s living up to his status as an omnipresent being.”  Joker groaned as Ann’s healing magic washed over him, newfound respect shining behind his mask even as he snap drew his pistol. A barrage of bullets crashing into the hidden face of his enemy, were only casually disregarded. “Immune against bullets, huh? Of course he is.”

“Then let’s try this!” Ann said darkly, eyes narrowing behind her mask.  Throwing her hand out before her, Panther shouted, her command echoing through the temple. “Hecate!  Unleash Hell on this would be god!” The ground itself was turned into molten slag as incredible heat swept through the room. The statue of the faceless man melted in an instant, the windows shattered within seconds as the heat became too much to handle, the walls themselves began to glow in protest at the power they were subjugated to. Yet in the centre of it all stood Saracino completely unbothered by this show of apocalyptic might.  “No….how is he just standing there?!” Ann whispered when it became clear that nothing they were doing was even scratching the man.

“I am God.”  The Shadow Saracino said as if it should’ve been obvious to them.

Satanael, the horned Demon Lord, appeared then in a flash of blue flames, the chains holding Arsene down shattering in the same instant.  Joker stood tall once more, his arms crossed over his chest as his fully unleashed spirit of rebellion brought his gun to bear on the entity.  “Then I guess-” He never got a chance to finish as Charles snapped his fingers, and a dozen spears of light surrounded both him and his Persona.

“Goodbye, foolish children.”  The same spears of shimmering gold appeared around them all, before all of them shot forward, leaving trails of spectral light behind in their wake.  Not that the Phantom Thieves were in a position to appreciate the show as they were pummeled into the ground from all sides. Forced to the surface by some power behind the attack or Charles’ himself, their Personas were subjected to the same attack as the Phantom Thieves were, which only increased the sheer soul rending agony that was inflicted upon them in equal measure. The attack was unlike anything they’d faced in a Palace before, more akin to Yaldabaoth’s Rays of Control rather than the usual attacks they were used to from Shadows, because it hurt both body and soul, draining them and even their Personas flickered under the onslaught and eventually faded altogether. “Hmm?” The being wondered as the dust slowly cleared to look upon Joker who was still standing, if barely so.  While the rest of the Thieves were laid out on the ground, they were breathing, which only further intrigued the Palace Ruler. “Still defiant to the end? I suppose this will have to continue then.”

Joker lifted his right hand and crushed a sphere in it. A blinding flash lit up the chamber for a moment as smoke poured out and obscured all from sight even as the Shadow ‘god’ roared in rage as his prey escaped him.  While it was good to know the angelic facade was just that, Joker and the rest of the team were too concerned with making a fast getaway, all of them in very bad shape after taking such a sustained pummeling as they had to both body and soul.  Ignoring the way his vision wavered and blurred, Joker pushed on, bringing up the rear as the ceiling became alive with the light of more ‘holy portals’. It seemed Charles had decided to call down the wrath of his version of Heaven.

“That wasn’t...right.”  Futaba wheezed between ragged breaths as she did her best to keep up.  If not for Makoto helping her along, she wouldn’t have made it halfway down the stairs.  “How’d he just ignore...all of that?!”

“He sees...himself as untouchable.”  Mona groaned, having been forcibly returned to his cat form, barely able to cling onto Joker’s shoulder.  “It’s the only explanation...as to how he just stood there and took everything...we threw at him… our attacks… literally didn't… touch him…they just… fizzled out.”

“More running….less talking!”  Skull yelled as arrows made of the same light as Charles’ spears began to rain down behind them.

“Heal up….in the safe room.” Makoto panted out, her ribs throbbing painfully with every step. “Then we return to the real world… we gotta make...a new plan.”

“Our magic….he took that too.”  Haru moaned as she limped as fast as her battered body could go with Yusuke doing little better.  “It felt like he...was ripping us apart from the inside out.” She ducked as an arrow of light zipped past her head, taking the feather from her hat on its way by.

“No healing….no Personas….no chance until we strip his godhood.  This is...indeed quite the dire...situation we’ve found ourselves in.”  Yusuke agreed as he did his best to push Haru further along despite his own body wanting to give out on him.

“Keep going… have to use some medicine… one of us… gotta heal the others up.” Joker panted, every cell in his body throbbing with pain that seemed to linger far deeper than even the lightning strike had reached. He threw a few additional smoke bombs, not just to cover their current position, but also a few other street entrances to hopefully confuse their pursuers as they made their way into the city surrounding the temple.  It seemed to work as they ducked into an alleyway, with the sound of furiously beating wings disappearing into the distant sky on every side. Sliding down the wall once they put some distance between them and their pursuers, Joker collapsed next to Panther, with the rest of the team doing the same. “Is...everyone here?” He asked as he pulled out one of the many energy drinks and ampoules of medicine they’d learned long ago to keep on their persons during their heists.

“Y-yeah….barely.”  Oracle groaned, her goggles up on her forehead as she panted, her eyes barely open through the pain and exhaustion.  “Rays of Control...levels of agony, otherwise...I’m just dandy.” She snarked, but it was a forced effort on her part.  “I...didn’t think….a mere Ruler could be that strong!”

“Our own hubris was nearly our undoing.”  Fox intoned gravely as he gladly accepted what Joker tossed his and Haru’s way.  “So much for...learning from our past mistakes.”

“We had no way to know he’d be literally invincible to everything we could throw at him.  Even Yaldabaoth...took damage when we first ran into him in the depths...of Mementos.” Mona retorted tiredly, his cat ears flat against his head as he leaned heavily against Joker’s outstretched leg.

“We beat Yaldabaoth.” Joker said tiredly, barely able to keep his eyes open as a wave of exhaustion crashed down on him. “We’ll beat this guy too, we just have to figure out how.”

“We first….need to get out of here.”  Queen said as Oracle pulled up the map of the city.  Unsurprisingly, the holographic display was an angry red, signifying the fact that the Palace’s denizens and the Ruler were on high alert.  “The nearest exit isn’t far, but it’ll lead us right through the slave market.” Taking the offered energy drink, Makoto nodded her thanks before downing half of it in one shot.  Grimacing at the bitter taste, she sighed and looked down at her own hand. “That attack...I still can’t feel Anat, and I know this stuff is working. What did he do to us?!”

“It felt like he exposed our very souls to the same punishment as our bodies.”  Noir groaned, looking a little better now that she too had been given something from Joker’s seemingly endless supplies.  “I don’t think even Yaldabaoth was able to do that.”

“If that’s the case….then it makes sense we can’t access our powers still.”  Ann grimaced, the pain beginning to fade for her too. “But yeesh...we’re smarter than this!  How did we get our butts kicked so badly?!”

“Don’t know….but this ain’t over.”  Skull growled menacingly low in his throat.  “Like Joker said, we’ll beat this son of a bitch, just like we’ve beaten everyone else!”

“You got it Skull.” Mona agreed and narrowd his eyes in determination. “But first it's time for some R and R.”

“Run and Run even more?”  Skull asked as he stood on shaky legs before helping Haru and Yusuke up respectively.

“Retreat and regroup you moron.” Mona sniffed, annoyed even as he helped Joker to stand up once he’d returned to his humanoid form.

“That still involves running, Mona-chan.”  Noir was quick to point out gently before her hand went up to her ruined hat.  “My poor hat won’t be the same after this though.”

“At least your priorities are still intact.”  Queen quipped, but smiled, all too happy to share in the general sentiment that they were still alive to complain in the first place.  Once it was apparent everyone was fit to travel at least, she turned to Joker, the silent acknowledgment that they were as ready as they were going to be clear on her masked face.

Taking the cue for what it was, Joker led the way out of the alleyway, one eye on the sky at all times, half expecting to see yet more portals to appear, ready to disgorge more of Charles’ devilish guards in angelic disguise.  Nothing came after them though, which strangely, left Joker’s already frayed nerves on edge even more. “Keep your eyes open… something is off.” He told them, his skin prickled with the sensation of danger nearby even if he wasn't able to pin it down.  As such, he turned his eyes towards the rooftops, half expecting to find someone stalking them in a far more mundane fashion. After having Akechi after them in the Metaverse, it wouldn’t have surprised him at all to find out Charles had a similar cognitive assassin running around his Palace.  But nothing popped out at them as they returned to the warehouse they’d found in one of their first visits to the Palace. Slowly approaching the side door once everyone else had left the ‘market’ behind, he beckoned the worst off among them through first.

The sharp gasp was all the warning he had when a figure in black appeared in the alleyway, just behind Makoto and Futaba, a katana in the figure’s hands.  A pair of strange, form fitting black goggles that looked almost like one of their masks covered most of the man’s face, while the pale, blue glow of biotics surrounded him.  “Lord Saracino didn’t say you could leave, but I could care less about the man.” A cognition he might’ve been, but the speed in which he struck was undeniable as he closed the distance between himself and the two women in a flash.

The clang of steel meeting steel split the air as Skull got between them, his large staff taking the strike meant for Oracle.  “GO!” He shouted, breaking them out of their shared paralysis.

“Heh, not bad.  My real boss could use someone like you, runt.”  Despite the sheer strength behind Skull’s arm, the assassin seemed to almost lazily push Ryuji’s staff back and away before parrying aside his weapon with contemptuous ease.  Spinning in place as Skull stumbled back, the man jabbed towards the blonde’s stomach, or at least, that had been the intent. Instead, Ryuji was knocked aside, and the streak of silver marking the blade’s passage turned red as it passed through Queen’s flesh, appearing out of her back as she threw her entire body into Ryuji’s side in order to save his life.

“QUEEN!”  Oracle screamed, her hands up to her mouth even as Makoto gasped in pain as blood spilled from her parted lips. With a smirk, the assassin began to draw back his blade only to be stopped when Makoto’s hand grab onto his with bone crushing force. Before their disbelieving eyes, Queen actually pushed the blade back inside her and held their attacker in place.

“Hit him!”  She roared out as Ryuji brought his staff to bear, all too happy to bash the man’s head in.  With a fury they’d seldomly bore witness to before, Ryuji quickly mutilated the skull, shattering it like a melon and their attacker disappeared in a black mist, but his sword remained within their teammate.  A gleaming testament to Charles’ success in driving them out of Paradise, and a monument to their absolute failure in the same breath.

“Don’t pull it out!” Joker ordered the others. “It might be the only thing keeping her from bleeding out.”  Yusuke jerked his hand back, having been about to do that very thing as Makoto took a knee, her lips stained with blood as she sucked in one ragged breath after another.  Without needing to be told, Ryuji and Joker slung the wounded girl’s arms over their shoulders, while Yusuke did his best to keep the sword from moving as much as possible with every dogged step forward.  “We’re almost home free, Queen.”

“T-tell...my sister….I’m-”

“Don’t!  You aren’t going anywhere!”  Futaba protested adamantly as she charged ahead into the open warehouse door, already fast at work in pulling open the Metanav App.  “You can’t die! Not after all this! You can’t leave **_me_ **!”  The others had barely gathered around Oracle before a trembling finger jabbed the app’s blood red eye icon.

 **End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _Well… that happened. Figured that that just because they sent gods screaming for their mommies, they shouldn't just stroll through everything we throw at them. And well, given the nature of the Metaverse… there are a lot of things that suddenly become possible. So if someone believes himself to be untouchable for example… well you’ve seen the result already I believe. Hope you enjoyed this little chapter, see you next time, until then, we’re busy coming up with new, horrifying ways to shock and traumatize you, (just kidding (maybe))._

_PS: Also yes, we totally bashed in Kai Leng’s skull just now… or at least his cognitive version. We’re working on murdering the original as well._

**_Vergil1989_ ** _:  There are more wonders and horrors between Heaven and Hell our feeble minds cannot begin to comprehend.  That’s probably slightly misquoted, but the intent is the same. But if you’re looking for someone to blame for nearly killing Queen, you need look no further than Nomad, he’s the evil genius behind this latest tragic turn of events.  :P Lol nah, it was a team effort, he just agreed and made my simple idea of having a sniper take a shot at them and made it much more personal by surprising me with having Kai Leng stab one of them. A cognition of him, but still, even a cognition is more than capable in its own right as we all well know by now.  And yes, we’re fully intending to have Kai Leng get butchered in reality sooner rather than later. :D_

_At any rate, carpe diem as always folks, and it is GOOD TO BE BACK!_

 

_P.S.  I’m gonna be gone the 15th through the next six days.  It’s Camp Horizon time of year again for me, but it’s always a good time, but we’ll be back, don’t you worry.  See ya guys and thanks for your patience and continued support in this project of ours. Adios!_


	18. A Sister's Love

**Chapter 18**

**A Sister’s Love**

 

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo Medical University Hospital**

**Date: Monday, April 26th, 2182.  Midnight Rainy**

Sae had been truly afraid a grand total of three different times in the last seven years.  The first, naturally, had been the day her father had been pronounced dead at the scene of a crime he wound up on the wrong side of.  The loss had struck her particularly hard, since she’d not only been older, but because she’d loved the man dearly. Not only that, but despite the feelings that would develop later, she had been scared to death of losing her sister, Makoto.  Thankfully she’d been able to become her little sister’s legal guardian, which had allowed them to stay together, but it hadn’t been easy. It had taken a lot of hard work and dedication, the same dedication which had eventually led to where she’d become so caught up in her own dark feelings until her own little sister would end up having to save her from herself, all in an effort to make sure that the remaining light in her life remained by her side.

The second time she’d been terrified enough that it made her question herself as she was in that moment, was when word reached her of a criminal preying on the students of Shujin Academy, a man by the name of Junya Kaneshiro.  As the head of a powerful mafia organization, Kaneshiro had all but been untouchable by the police, although Sae knew there’d been a few close calls of their investigators nearly gathering enough evidence to convict only for witnesses to change their story, or simply disappear without a trace.  Some had been discovered later, dead, without enough forensic evidence to tie them to Kaneshiro’s organization. At first, despite his elusiveness, he’d just been another criminal to Sae, but it was when word reached her that he had had his eye on her and her sister, that Sae had went cold with terror.  The wall of pictures that had been in an abandoned warehouse, purposely left for her and the police to find, had certainly proved that to the former prosecutor.

But all of that paled in comparison to when she got a call about the same time Sojiro did, their omni-tools flashing a priority alert message that Futaba had set up for dire emergencies only.  Phantom Thieves related emergencies to be precise. A call that had Sae stumbling to the nearest seat in the dorms as the sound of ambulance sirens filled her ears. The mercifully short flight over to the Sirta Foundation ran hospital had been a blur and an eternity in equal measure, only to have to wait for the doctors to finish surgery to repair the damage, and to remove a curved  **_sword_ ** from her sister’s back.  A katana that had, miraculously, missed near everything vital save for when it’d passed close enough to her right kidney to cut a small piece away on its way through to her front.  If not for the fact Amanda Kirijo had had friends in the hospital, the questions asked by the authorities when word would have otherwise inevitably reached them would’ve been impossible to answer truthfully.  That some of the doctors knew about the kind of things that no one else was aware of spoke of their long standing history with the Kirijo Group, and the faith they put in Amanda’s family and the group she represented.

Not that Sae cared much as she sat by her sister’s bedside, one hand wrapped protectively around Makoto’s right.  The only reason she hadn’t gone out to strangle Akira personally for having led her against Charles Saracino was twofold.  The first, and the more worrying, was the fact that all of the Thieves had arrived at the hospital barely able to stand. The second was that she knew getting angry with Joker would help no one, least of all herself, especially since logically she knew he hadn’t done this purposefully.  It was just as clear now as it’d been then, any slight or harm against his team, his ‘family’, he held himself accountable for, and even when he’d been nearly dead on his feet, his only concern had been to make sure Makoto was taken care of before turning that same frenetic energy towards the rest of his friends.  Besides, as much as her initial reaction to seeing Makoto being rushed into surgery had been to want to lash out against Akira, Sae had just as quickly let it go because she wasn’t  **_that_ ** person anymore.

The third, and probably the most touching, was currently passed out in a chair not ten feet away on the other side of the private hospital room, an IV in his arm with Futaba just as exhausted, similarly hooked up, dead asleep next to him.  Despite their matching injuries, of which there’d been many, they had insisted, vehemently in fact, to remain by Makoto’s side the moment she’d been released to make her recovery, at least in part, in blissful oblivion. Still, Sae wiped her eyes with her free hand and sighed as she sat up in her chair, her hand never leaving Makoto’s, “You don’t have to pretend to be asleep, Akira.”

“How long did you know I was awake?”  A small voice asked, bereft of his normally present confidence and quiet, if wry, wit.

“I didn’t, but I know you well enough by now that I had a feeling you’d not want to disturb us.”  Sae said as she slowly turned to the young man that a part of her still wanted to blame for Makoto’s current state.  A part she was able to acknowledge, and beat into submission since she also knew without a doubt, that without them, without Joker, the world as they knew it wouldn’t exist anymore.  “I  _ want  _ to hate you right now, Akira Kurusu”  Sae said after an uncomfortable silence fell between them.

“I know….”  He didn’t need her to say more as his gray eyes fell to some spot on the floor between them.

“....I also know you didn’t want this to happen.”  Sae relented, the hard edge that had begun to fill her voice dissipating just as quickly as she let her own head fall, her eyes staring blankly at the frail form on the bed.  “That you hold yourself responsible is clear to anyone, especially since the circumstances were beyond even your considerable experience.”

“We’d never encountered anything like Saracino’s Palace Ruler before.”  Akira reiterated, as he and the others had done in their initial rush to explain what had transpired when Sae had demanded, and rightfully so, a full accounting of why her sister was in critical condition.  “There’d been a couple of Shadows that had required some unconventional measures to finally defeat them, but never a Ruler. Even Yaldabaoth had taken damage when we originally discovered him, and he’d been an actual god.”  Staring down at his own hands, Sae could practically feel the sheer remorse rolling off of the young man.

He didn’t react when she stood to her feet.  He didn’t look up when she made her way the few feet between them, half expecting her to punch him in the face and to scream obscenities at him.  So when she put a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed, he stiffened only to relax when no immediate follow up came about, with him slowly looking up to see tears rolling down her face once more.  “You’re an idiot if you think I could stay angry at you, Akira. I’m able to admit a part of me wants to do that very thing, to condemn you to every circle of Hell I can name for ever having stepped into my family’s life, but it’s because of you and the rest of the Phantom Thieves that I even have my sister beside me now.  So no, you don’t get to wallow in despair or self inflicted guilt, not for this. It might’ve been your job that got her into this, but you’ve gotten back up, time after time after time. So until Charles Saracino is dealt with, you don’t get to quit.”

Blinking owlishly at this turn of events, Akira slowly nodded, some of the earlier luster returning to his gray eyes as Sae wiped at her own before returning the simple, silently determined nod.  Assured of his conviction, Sae returned to her sister’s side, while he sighed and did his best to relax in his chair, unable and unwilling to move from his spot in either event. It was enough for Sae to relax as well even as she fought sleep in an effort to remain awake for as long as possible for her sister’s sake.  But her sheer exhaustion won out, and Sae drifted off, her unconscious mind assaulted by dreams of waking up only to find out Makoto had died in her sleep, with her never being the wiser until it was too late. But when she woke up hours later, it was to find Makoto was still very much alive, her face twitching as the pain meds the doctors had her on started to wear off.  Waving down a passing asari nurse took care of that problem though, and Sae watched as the pain lines in Makoto’s face soon softened once more. Getting to her feet, she crossed the sterile white linoleum floor and left, needing a moment to gather herself, and to get something to eat in any event. She’d be no use to anyone if she let herself starve.

Going to the waiting area revealed the rest of the Thieves, all of them in similar states of exhaustion and recovery.  Sae smiled despite the pit in her stomach, seeing how most of the Phantom Thieves were asleep either on the floor next to each other or had all but fallen down into whatever chair they’d been able to find the night before.  Sae breathed out a quiet sigh, before she started towards a nearby cafe within the hospital. A cafe she suspected Sojiro had taken over at some point that morning since she hadn’t seen him in the waiting room. Leaving them to rest, the former prosecutor walked away, trying to decide on what to do now, what came next from here.

Her eyes soon fell on the cafe she’d been looking for, and smiled as, sure enough, she found Sojiro with a stack of coffee cups full of various blends already, prepared to his excellent standards, waiting for her and the rest of the team on a nearby table.  The fact the few people already working the kitchen were only staring at him, bewildered by how he’d all but taken over their domain wasn’t lost on her, but she didn’t much care for their opinion.

“How they holdin’ up?”  He asked as he pushed Sae’s cup towards the woman the moment she’d taken her seat.

“About as well as you’d expect given the circumstances.  Makoto’s still...out of it.” Sae stated, staving off the question before he could ask before she took a sip from her offered cup.  With a sigh that spoke volumes of her concern for her little sister, but also the relief she felt that she was in good hands. “The doctors are hopeful she’ll make a full recovery, but they aren’t certain at the present time, and I’m still worried in either event.”

“She’s your sister, I’d be disappointed if you  _ weren’t _ .”  Sojiro stated in such a way that made it clear anything less wouldn’t be acceptable.  “And suffice it to say, I know how much they’ve bonded since the days when I thought that little punk was just that and nothing else.”

“With Shido’s word against his, Akira’s criminal record was to blame for many assuming the worst, myself included, without actually hearing his side of the incident in question.”  Sae knew far better, as did Sojiro, that he wasn’t the delinquent everyone had assumed he was. Oh he was certainly a troublemaker, just not the kind that they’d made him out to be.  But that led her to remembering her conversation with Akira the night before, and Sae’s eyes fell to the table between them. “I wanted to be angry with him, Sojiro. I felt that old hatred and resentment rear its ugly head again when I saw Makoto being rushed into the OR….”

“You’re human Sae.”  Sojiro replied simply, his voice soft and soothing to her ears.  “You might’ve been distorted when we first met way back when, but even then, you gave a damn about your sister.  Now it’s just more clear as ever that you’d move heaven and earth to keep her safe, but she  _ chose  _ to go to that place so that no one else would get hurt.  You know that, otherwise I don’t doubt for a moment you’d have already ripped his head off, and I would probably be right behind you.”  He chuckled softly, earning a small, watery smile from the woman in the process as she slowly looked up to meet his gaze.

“And that’s why I haven’t harmed a hair on his head.  Makoto knows far better than me the dangers of that place, and she went anyway, because we both know what’ll happen if Charles Saracino is allowed to run rampant any longer.”  Needing a moment to gather herself, Sae drank deep of Sojiro’s coffee and sighed as she leaned back in her chair, her hair a mess from having slept with her head down on Makoto’s bed.  Her neck was sore, her back stiff, but she couldn’t care less as she met the older man’s gaze. “Charles hurt my sister, not Akira. I know where to place the blame for what’s happened, and if an opportunity presented itself to pay him back in kind, you can bet I’d gladly take it.”

“I don’t doubt it, but re-”

“Revenge isn’t what I want, but it’s very easy to see why you’d think so.”  Sae cut him off, understanding his concern, both given her past and the current situation.  “No...revenge was Akechi’s motivation, but it won’t be mine. I’m mature enough to know the difference, but it’s a difficult thing to think about when my sister’s life is hanging in the balance.”

“Believe me, she might not be related to me in any way, but I care about that band of misfits as if they were my own, and that includes your sister.”  Sae didn’t doubt that for a moment once she saw the sheer resolve and warmth in Sojiro’s face, the light from the overhead lamps reflecting off of his round glasses.  “And hell, one of them  _ is  _ mine.  I’d be a mess if it was Futaba in that hospital room instead.”

“You might’ve adopted her, but I know you love her as if she were your own, Sojiro.”  Taking her coffee with her, she watched as Sojiro grabbed a tray before putting the rest of the assorted cups on top. The two of them couldn't help but frown in synch when they noticed that the blinds to Makoto's room had all been lowered in their absence. Having a sinking feeling as to what had happened none could say that they were surprised when they came upon an unconscious Akira and a Makoto whose wounds had miraculously healed, at least to a large degree.

“That idiot.” Sojiro sighed without any heat. “He’s gotta learn to take care of himself better.”

“That's not what I wanted.” Sae muttered and went to check on the unconscious young man. “I was angry, but I never wanted him to risk his own health like this.”

“I don't think you have yourself to blame for this.” Sojiro countered as he scratched his beard. “The kid would have done this with or without your little talk… they’re his friends, family, the only one he’s got along with the rest of his little band… the worst part is I don't think that’ll change in the future no matter what we say to him. He’ll always risk himself for their sake.”

“Tsk, as if I hadn't had enough to do without my patients making my job harder.” A moody voice muttered from behind and the grumpiest looking asari they’ve ever seen to date walked in. “Heal one only to nearly kill yourself, great going kid. Didn't want to enjoy my weekend anyway.”

“Wait, you kn-”  Sojiro stammered as the asari pushed past him without a backward glance.

“That he’s damn moron?  Yeah, that’s easy to see...but I guess he’s a loveable moron so what the hell.”  She stated without looking at either of them, her omni-tool synching up with the machines still hooked up to Makoto.

“Uh…”

“Yeah, I also know that I need to work on my bedside manners, but it would also be hell of a lot nicer if my patients could just stop annoying the hell out of me.” The asari yawned lazily blinking at the data she received from her omni-tool, the bright glare of it obviously irritating her eyes and annoying her further.  “Hmph, at least he seems to know what he’s doing. Goddess damned Persona Users, always getting into trouble no matter what age they happen to be a part of apparently.” Only once she seemed satisfied with the results of her scans did the doctor turn to address the pair, with Sojiro utterly gobsmacked while Sae was left blinking like an owl.  “I did say I knew what these damned kids were didn’t I?”

“You did say that.”  Sae admitted.

She saw Sojiro shake his head before crossing his arms over his chest.  “You kinda remind me of another doctor I used to know.”

“Really?” The asari grinned, white teeth flashing brightly beneath black colored lips. “You gotta introduce her to me sometime, she sounds like fun.”

“No offense, but are you sure you’re a doctor?”  Sae asked, having had a chance to take in the alien’s very….unusual attire.  She wore the white coat and blue undershirt of most doctors she’d seen, true, even if the material of said clothes was some kind of synthetic cloth, but that was where the similarities to what she was familiar with, ended.  Black, thigh high leather boots emphasized the asari’s dark purple skin, which was further accentuated by the black, synthetic leather pants that seemed melded to her skin they were so tight. The spiked collar around her slender throat was also a bit out of the norm in Sae’s experience, but the efficient way she moved about Makoto’s room at least put to rest any uncertainties she had about the alien’s skill at her profession.

“Most of the time yeah, sometimes I feel like a mad scientist, so what do I know?”  She said with a shrug.

“I’ll take that as a yes then.” Sae muttered and sighed. “So what can you tell me about the two of them.”

“Well, little miss Niijima is doing a hell of a lot better, it's a miracle!” She sarcastically cheered and clapped her hands slowly. “Of course our knight with fuzzy hair isn't doing that great anymore, although he wasn’t feeling the best to begin with.  Not with exhaustion on a level that would even make an N7, an asari commando, and a krogan warlord flinch, coupled with mental fatigue. Most people would decide that they’d enough fun for one night, but fuzzy over here is a special kind of… whatever he is, and went one step further.  So now he’s unconscious, almost in a coma, really and when he wakes up even the lazy cat over there could push him over, so there is that. Hmm...might have to get that on video if it happens.” She added as a quiet afterthought, her dark brown eyes glimmering in mischievous delight at the prospect.

“I can also hear you.”  Akira groaned from his spot by Makoto’s bed, unwilling or unable to move from where he’d collapsed after having healed her.

“Oh good, he’s awake.”  Going over to his side, they watched as the asari none too gently shoved Akira back into his chair before holding his head steady with one hand against his chin.  “Open them pretty gray eyes for me. Hmm….no surprise the light’s bothering you with the headache from Hell that’s likely throbbing in that thick skull of yours.”

“I’ve had worse.”  He stated dryly once she let him go.

“Of course you’d say that.” The asari muttered, annoyed. “You know, as endearing and impressive as your species’ ability is to push through all odds, it can also be incredibly annoying in my patients, so stop trying to be stubborn and listen to your doctor.  That means shut up, and just sleep, relax or whatever you want to call it. Not necessarily in that order though. Or, I can always have you sedated and tied to a bed. Your choice.”

She got no answer as Joker had drifted off to sleep halfway through her tirade.  Upon realizing this, she blinked, clearly taken aback. “Damnit, I mean sure it's nice that he’s finally asleep, but he could have at least listened to me before he did… now I’ll never get this through his thick skull.”

“You never had a chance with that to begin with.” Sojiro told her plainly, his eyes twinkling with relief. “Believe me, we’ve tried to talk the kid down, but that's just not who he is.”

“As admirable as that is, I still would like him to be a bit more careful, there are enough dead heroes already.” The asari shot back, for the first time since they met her, utterly serious and solemn.  


“Ow….”  Sae let a gasp escape her as Makoto opened her eyes, one hand pressed against the side of her head while the asari doctor turned her gaze towards her in the same breath.  “Wha-...Sae?” She groaned weakly, her throat dry and scratchy, but she only had a moment to see the woman’s face before Sae was at her side once more. Glancing over Sae’s shoulder, Makoto locked eyes with the doctor and Sojiro.  “I’m not going to hear the end of this am I?”

“Nope.”  Sojiro chuckled, just as relieved as Sae was even as he stood by the door.

“Considering you held onto a sword, just to give your friends a chance to destroy a cognitive version of some assassin, I’d say your goose is pretty much cooked.”  The asari stated drly.

“So… it worked?” Makoto questioned softly. “I don't remember much.”

“Well… from what I heard the blonde one, not the one with the magnificent rack, the boy bashed his head straight into the floor and then some.”

“Ryuji?”  She asked, her arm gingerly working its way over Sae’s back.

“Is that his name? Yeah guess so. So you can thank him for the manslaughter of said cognitive son of a bitch.”

Sae, having begun to pull herself together again, chuckled softly as she looked up into Makoto’s face, tears running down her own once more.  “Don’t you ever do anything so…reckless again, Makoto.”

“I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t.”  She replied, but nodded as best she could, promising only that she’d try to be more careful moving forward.  “It...happened too quickly for me to come up with a better idea at the time.”

“I… I’m just glad you’re safe.” Sae choked out and held her close. “I’ve been so worried… you wouldn’t respond and you had lost so much blood.”  She was rambling, she knew that, but she didn’t care. Sitting down on the edge the bed, Sae sighed and let her head fall so that her long, gray, hair obscured her face.  “You can thank Akira for bringing you around so quickly. And before you ask, the rest of the team’s fine.”

“Th-that’s good.”  The silence that followed was uncomfortable, until Sae reached down and squeezed Makoto’s hand, a soft, watery smile on her face once more.  “I’m...so sorry I worried you again, Sae.”

“It’s alright.  Just rest for now.”

“You gave us quite the scare kiddo.”  Sojiro said as he handed over the coffee he’d prepared for when she woke up, which Makoto accepted with a nod of thanks while the doctor gingerly went about examining her.  “We already heard the story from everyone else, once they were able to actually keep their eyes open.”

“Charles thinks himself as a god.  That should’ve been our first clue that he’d been untouchable by us.”  Makoto admitted.

“But… you plan on stealing his Treasure anyway, aren’t you?” Sae asked even though she already knew the answer.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had difficulties in a Palace… this just means we have to get creative again.”

“What she means, we gotta find a way to kick that son of a bitch from his high horse.” Ryuji announced as he walked in followed by the rest of the Phantom Thieves who, after a rest and a brief shower, no longer looked like victims of a car crash.  Now they looked more akin to showered victims of a car crash, clothes matted in dirt, skin splotched with slowly fading bruises, but the luster to their eyes as they gathered around Makoto’s bed had returned at least. “So, how you doin’ Queen? Had us pretty worried.”

“Better, thanks to Joker… but you’re right Skull. We’ll find a way to break his ego, and take his desires.”

“ _ You _ aren’t going anywhere.”  Sae stated flatly, but was just as quick to jerk her head towards the others before they could begin to protest.  “Don’t misunderstand me….as much as I’d rather none of this be necessary, I knew what was going to happen when I agreed to come along on this escapade.  But I’ve stood on the sidelines for too long, been a victim of my own making, and overall allowed others to do what I couldn’t this whole time. Not only that, but Charles made this personal when he sent that cognition after you.”

“We didn’t take you along just so you could cheer us on, Themis.” Ann told her seriously. “And I agree, this has become a lot more personal than before, but let’s make something clear.  We have to awaken your Persona first before taking you anywhere even near that Palace. Second, you’ll need training, we all did, because while some things come naturally, others have to be learned first, and lastly when we’re in the Palace or Mementos, you’ll follow our lead, no matter how crazy it might seem. Got it?” Ann asked and took a step towards her, eyes filled with determination and worry for the safety of not just Sae but her friends as well.

“Understood.”  Sae stated simply, her own steely gaze softer but no less determined.

“Woah… Panther really stepped up there.” Noir said quietly as Fox nodded his agreement.

“Alright, Queen, first we gotta get you back on your feet, make sure that there is no lasting damage.  The rest of us have to take it easy as well… I can still feel those spears piercing me.” Ann muttered the last part quietly and shuddered. “On that note, I’ll drag Joker to his room as soon as possible where he’ll hopefully get some rest, but if I have to tie him down, so be it.”

“Man… she stole Queen’s job.” Skull whispered quietly and shuddered. “And she was scary enough before.”

“Shut it you.” She shot back with a scowl that was only half serious. “Also, Mona that means no disturbing Joker.”

They ignored the way the asari blinked at the way most everyone turned to the black cat that was by Haru’s feet as Morgana yowled back, “Hey, what I’d do?!”

“You lived with him for years now, he told us all about your bouts of… interesting ideas.”

“He did? I mean… yes Panther.” Morgana gasped, shocked, before he caught himself and nodded his consent eagerly.

“I admire her selflessness.” Fox voiced aloud, smiling serenely. “To put the wellbeing of others before her own desires, most admirable.”

“Anyway… since Akira needs to be watched I’ll take care of him.” Panther rushed out, chuckling nervously. “So no need to worry or disturb us.”

“I suddenly have doubts regarding her selflessness.” Yusuke decided as he cocked his head. “Or is this perhaps due to my lack of understanding.”

“It’s not.” The rest of them assured him as one.

“As entertaining as this is,” the asari started before moving to shove them back out the door as a whole, “my patient still needs her rest, and you aren’t exactly quiet.  Go on, get moving, and take blondie’s boyfriend with you.”

“I got him.”  Ryuji mock grumbled, with him and Yusuke dragging the unconscious Joker, IV still attached to one arm, off to the room that had been set aside for the man.

Sae shook her head but smiled as she and Makoto watched them leave, with Sojiro bringing up the rear before stopping just by the door once he was sure they were on their way out.  “Are you alright? You need anything?” She asked once they’d gone, the door silently shutting just beside Sojiro.

“Just thirsty, but Sojiro’s coffee’s helping with that.”  Makoto replied before grimacing slightly when the asari gently pulled at the bandages across her stomach.

“Hmm...looks like it’ll scar, but it’s closing up quickly.  And don’t mind me, I’ve seen your type before, just so you know, continue to talk like I’m not here or anything.”

“I’ve been meaning t-to ask, but how do you even know about...all this?”  Makoto inquired, her voice catching a little as the doctor finished her work by none too gently pushing the bandage back down.

“I’m an asari, I’ve seen my share of crazy things.”  She said so evenly she could’ve been talking about the weather outside.  “My great grandmother in-law was brought into the Kirijo Group shortly after the Yaldabaoth incident.  Doctor Tae Takemi. Guess you can only bond with someone so much without picking something up.”

“That back alley doctor commonly called the Plague?”  Sae asked, remembering she’d ran across that name during her investigation way back when now.

“Don't let Akira hear you calling her that, he basically proved her innocence of any wrongdoing.” Sojiro informed her, and not without pride in his charges’ accomplishments.

“He… how many people did he help?”  The asari asked, more than a little astonished.

“A lot, and most of them became friends he’ll treasure for life… isn't that right Miss Prosecutor?” Sojiro asked her slyly, obviously amused by the question.  “He has that effect on people I’ve noticed.”

“Hmph.”  The asari scoffed but smirked.  “Can’t imagine why that might be.  I’ve heard of only one other person that seemed to have people just gravitate around them, and she was a brat from some forgotten Earth city slum.  Fiery little redhead, went on to become some big shot N7 Commander in the Systems Alliance last I heard.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, actually met her once.” The asari revealed and scowled once more, as if annoyed by the memory. “On Elysium where Miss ‘I-got-work-to-do-so-I-can’t-rest’ was my patient, bloody annoying just like your little fuzzy britches that was just dragged outta here.”

“Heh, sounds like you had your hands full.  Uh...sorry, but what’s your name again?” Sojiro asked, only then realizing they’d not gotten a proper title to address the asari by.

“Oh…”  The near perpetual scowl on the purple skinned woman’s face dissolved as she blushed, before just as quickly waving a hand in dismissal.  “Rileen Takemi. You can thank my human wife for insisting I stick with a human’s last name. Doesn’t matter to me either way, but for being so short lived, like all humans, she is pretty intimidating.  Just don’t ask what we got up to on our weekends off, unless you want to be scarred for life.” She offered slyly, earning a couple of uncomfortable coughs from Sojiro and Sae while Makoto about spat out what she’d just started to swallow.  “Hmm...well, I’ve wasted enough time here for one day.”

“Doctor Takemi.”  Rileen paused as Sae stood.  “Thank you for taking care of my sister.”

“Don’t thank me, just keep her from doing anything stupid…..well, stupider.”  She corrected herself as she walked through the door only to stop herself in the doorway. “Well… if you can, but I think the whole lot of them are a bunch of trouble magnets, so… good luck with that.”

“At least she’s got you pegged pretty good.”  Sojiro chortled once the door shut behind Rileen.

“Will you guys keep it down?  I’m trying to sleep.” Murmured a half asleep Futaba as she blinked, groaned, and looked towards the bed.  “Huh? OH! Uh….” Her eyes darted from one face to the other as Sae crossed her arms, a knowing smile on her face as she walked to the door, with a still chuckling Sojiro quick to follow behind her.  “W-wait, where are you goi-”

“We aren’t going far.”  Sojiro promised.

“Your glasses are on the side table.”  Sae offered without looking back, knowing that they needed to talk after everything that had occurred.  Despite her usual nature, Sae had decided some time ago that their relationship status was one can of worms she wanted nothing to do with, but despite her own conflicting emotions about it all, she felt safe in leaving the two alone for the time being.  Returning to the waiting room, she slowed and eventually came to a stop when she saw those Phantom Thieves that were still mobile were gathered around the holo screen, their attention on a man’s face that she had come to associate with the reason why Makoto was laid up at the current time.  “What’s this?”

“It would seem Charles Saracino was attacked at his latest gathering.”  Yusuke stated as the image onscreen showed the man standing on another stage, this one an open air theater.  “He was in the middle of another of his speeches when someone fired down onto the stage.”

“During last night's gathering Charles Saracino was shot in front of hundreds of witnesses as well as a number of news crews covering the event.  The president of Terra Firma is not in critical condition, and is expected to make a full recovery within the next two weeks. The police managed to find the shooter behind the assassination attempt, a batarian extremist, who was killed in the ensuring firefight.”

“It’s a setup, gotta be.”  Ryuji growled low in the back of his throat.

“I’d have to agree.”  Sae stated evenly, but the cold chill that laced every word had their undivided attention.  “Dead men tell no tales, which leaves me with the impression this attempt is a little too neat and tidy for my liking.  If the shooter had been taken alive on the other hand, or if he’d been able to escape, I’d be more inclined to believe it was a true attempt on Saracino’s life, but-”

“But after what happened with Shido, you suspect otherwise.”  Haru stated softly, to which Sae nodded in agreement.

“I’d find it questionable in any event, if only because I don’t trust politicians on principle, but this smells like a precursor to something more insidious.”  She stroked the bottom of her chin, before she tapped at her omni-tool. Pulling up the search function with a practiced flourish of her long fingers, Sae said, “When is the next election for the Alliance Parliament?”

“It’s… in three weeks.”  Sojiro stammered as he quickly put the pieces together once he’d read what was displayed on Sae’s arm, with the rest of the Phantom Thieves following suit.

“That fits, it has to be relatively recent if its there are only a few days before the election you don't have time to push your agenda, too long and the impact will lessen enough for the whole thing to be forgotten or the shock of the whole thing to fade.” Sae decided with a frown, grimacing as she bit her lower lip for a brief moment. “Of course his opponents will try to undermine this attempt… but given that he was shot, he can play the victim card pretty easily. Make a show of how badly he was wounded, while taking a stance against special interest groups, specifically those funded by the aliens he clearly has problems with.  And he’ll get away with it….”

“Sae-senpai?”  Yusuke dared to ask, but Sae ignored him as her hands clenched up into fists at her side, the light from her omni-tool having since disappeared.

“He’ll get away with it all if someone doesn’t stop him.  The drell that was beaten, the people’s lives he’s ruined, my sister….he’ll win and there won’t be anything we can do to stop him.”  Sighing as she forced herself to calm down, Sae turned to the others on either side, her brownish red eyes narrowed to slits. “And now I have a new appreciation for what you’ve had to endure, right underneath everyone’s noses no less.”

“We just tried to do the right thing.” Ryuji said with a shrug. “Don’t know about the law and shit, that’s more your stuff Sae-san, but… even I know that following the law and doing the right thing aren’t always the same.”

“I think the problem is that some people know how to use the law to further their own goals at the expense of everybody else.” Haru stated with glinting eyes. “My father and Shido certainly did, and there are even those willing to help them like with Mr. Kamoshida.”

“Don’t forget the damn Principal Kobayakawa.”  Ryuji spat out, before just as quickly allowing his scowl to disappear.  “The guy might’ve been in deep with Shido and his flunkies, but he didn’t deserve being shut down like that!”

“Is the death of your former principal not eerily similar to the way this would be assassin died?  Silenced to ensure that no one could confess against them?” Yusuke asked seriously, his eyes narrowing in thought. “Of course, we lack the means to prove such, but given the fact that he was killed by members of the law enforcement I assume it is safe to say that at the very least, some of their number count among Charles’ supporters.”

“Or those that are behind him.”  Ann chimed in, surprising all of them with her sudden appearance.

“Weren’t you gonna be camped out in Akira’s room?”  Morgana asked from Haru’s lap.

“I-” Ann stopped and fidgeted slightly before exhaling explosively. “I wanted to… at first. But when we were alone… I realized he wouldn't want me to sulk and worry about him or try to be lovey dovey. Not until we were done with Saracino.” She explained before locking eyes with Sae, who only nodded in silent agreement to whatever question had passed between them.  “We can’t let him make it to the election.”

Morgana decided to chime in then, saying, “Barring any surprises, we have three weeks to come up with a plan.”

“You just  _ had  _ to jinx it Morgana.”  Ryuji noted flatly, unimpressed by the cat’s declaration.

“Bah, don't worry about it. I’m sure that once Joker wakes up, he’ll come up with a great plan!” Morgana assured them, tail swishing from one side to the other.

“Did you just delegate the whole responsibility for this heist to our unconscious leader?”

“He might be unconscious but he’s still our leader.”   


“I’ll take that as a ‘yes, because I’ve got no ideas of my own’.”

“And now I have to wonder how you were able to outsmart everyone you ever went up against.”  Sae muttered at their seemingly collective incompetence and arrogant belief Joker was their answer to everything.

“We might not look like it Niijima-senpai,” Haru began, drawing Sae’s attention towards her as she idly rubbed Morgana between his ears, “but we wouldn’t have made it this far on only Joker’s abilities.  All of us contributes something to the cause.”

“Heh, you got that right, Makoto’s gotten us through quite a few jams on her own.”  Ryuji declared proudly before just as quickly looking away, his face falling in the same breath.  “Hope she’ll be alright soon though. Her and that effin’ moron both.”

“Until then we’d best not be idle.” Yusuke chimed in as uncharacteristic smirk pulled at his lips. “I have no doubt that we’ll have to engage this in the real world in some manner. I suggest we try to find possible ways to engage Saracino here as well, in robbing him of this feeling of superiority and invincibility in the real world, should render his Shadow just as susceptible to damage as any other we’ve encountered.”

“Hmm…”  Turning her head, she saw Sojiro had gotten lost in thought.

“We could poison his hospital food, I guess?” Haru asked uncertainly, her eyes gleaming with barely concealed sadism. “We could have all kinds of fun with that.”

Ann could only blink while the rest of them stared, more than a little frightened by the seemingly innocent girl’s statement.  “Uh Haru? We’re trying to make his Shadow weak, not kill the bastard.”

“Oh no, I wasn’t suggesting lethal poison, that would be far too good for him.”

“Truly the fury of a woman is a terrifying thing to behold.” Yusuke said, voice filled with awe as he looked at Haru, as if he was seeing her for the first time.

“You got it Yusuke.” Ryuji agreed immediately before he cracked his own hands. “But I got an idea, why not find out where the bastard lives and crash the party? Wreck his home? That’d be a good scare for him right?”

“That’s not a bad idea.”  All eyes immediately fell on Sojiro.  “From what I understand from Wakaba’s research, as well as what you guys have told me, the cognition of someone can be changed if a sufficiently strong outside force is applied to the target individual.”

“So if someone were to, let’s just say… beat him up in his own house…that’d help?” Ann asked idly, and twirled her hair around her right index finger.

“I fear the danger of someone recognizing us would be too great in that case.” Yusuke was quick to point out before he snapped his finger in a show of sudden inspiration. “However, I just remembered one of the movies we watched together, why do we not attempt to scare him through the careful application of explosives? Like a car bomb I believe.”

“Because we want him in one piece?” Ryuji asked.

“We do?” Ann muttered quietly to herself even as she nodded to agree with him. “That’d be dangerous…unless we blow up his apartment while it’s empty.”

“We’d have to check every inch just to be sure there’s no one hidden away.”  Futaba chimed in as she limped her way to Sojiro’s side, smiling widely as she sat down.  “I can do that remotely though, keep an eye on his place for a few days, but as soon as it’s empty, we can move in and blow the place sky high!”

“Nice!” Morgana laughed maniacally. “I’ll place the bomb, we wait till he sees his apartment and boom!”

“Is anyone else concerned that we’re planning on bombing an apartment complex while the speaking cat on our side is laughing like a mad man?” Sae questioned them over the sound of Morgana's cackling.

“No, why?” Futaba asked her with a confused frown. “We do stuff like this all the time… or at least sort of like this.”

Sojiro’s parting remark summed up why his hair was likely going gray as Sae turned her gaze upon him next.  “Welcome to my world.”

“Well….”  Sae smiled thinly despite knowing what she was about to do couldn’t be undone if she started down this particular road, but her mind had been made when Makoto had opened her eyes.  “If we’re going to do this, then we should get started as soon as you’re able.”

**End Notes:** ** _Nomad-117:_** _Hope you didn't expect them to quit that easily, the Phantom Thieves have a plan. A rather aggressive plan truth be told, but one that ought to be super effective. They might have been beaten but they remain unbowed and are back for more, and now Sae is fired up as well to kick corrupt political ass. Oh, and of course we can’t forget about the deadline that just popped up, but hey, not the first time they dealt with something like that now is it? Whatever happens next, it’s gonna be a hell of a ride, and lots of fun : D. Until next time, see ya around._

**_Vergil1989_ ** _ :  The names change, the general problems remain the same.  Still, I myself enjoyed the fact we managed to ‘reincarnate’ Tae into the body of an asari, essentially, hehe.  And yes, we fully intend for Akira, AND the rest of them, to partake in some less than legal clinical trials for Rileen in the foreseeable future.  She needs her guinea varren after all, just like her grandmother in-law from back in the day. :D At any rate, it’s been fun guys and gals, and as always, carpe diem and good luck to everyone moving forward. _

_ And since it’s so close to the holidays, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! _


	19. Balancing the Scales

**Chapter 19**

 

**Balancing the Scales**

 

**Location: Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo Medical University Hospital**

**Date: Tuesday, April 27th, 2182.  Noon Rainy**

**Deadline:  21 Days until the election….**

Sae didn't exactly know what she had been expecting but it certainly wasn't eating her lunch in her sister’s infirmary room while staring at holographic projections of Charles’ apartment building. “First things first.” Futaba declared and manipulated a few buttons on her omni-tool. “As of now we’re working on our own. I sent a letter Joker prepared to the Kijiro Group, specifically Amanda.  We’re officially looking into the thing with the quarian, due to working better on our own.”

“Forgive me, but why?” Sae asked with a frown. “Wouldn’t it be better if we had more backup for this?”

“Plausibility deniability for one.” Her sister was quick to explain as she kept one hand gently pressed against her stomach. “This way they aren’t affected by our actions and… well given how the staff and the students use their powers, there are many that would frown upon our actions.”

“And that’s saying nothing about those that would try to follow our example, no doubt going about it in a poor fashion.”  Yusuke chimed in next just as matter of factly.

“I see.” Sae said slowly, her unasked question whether or not that alienated them must have been visible to the others because Ryuji spoke up next.

“Don’t worry about it, Themis. We  _ are  _ a bunch of renegades after all.” He grinned at his friends as he said this and they in turned returned the smile. A true show of camaraderie, but Sae saw something else as well. She saw a group of people who, each in their own way, had been let down by society.  A group of people that had found solace in each other’s company, while at the same time shunning anything resembling authority. Not that she could blame them with what she knew, but it was still astonishing to see, and a little sad that they’d had to go as far as they were about to go all over again.

“I can’t say how useful I’ll be, but I’ll do everything in my power to help.” She eventually declared since they had been let down by all those who had been supposed to help and support them.   _ Never again _ , she swore to herself.

“Determination alone can go a long way, Sae-san.” Haru told her kindly, an encouraging smile on the heiress’s lips. “I’d know, I literally stumbled into my father's Palace after all.”

“So why am I here exactly?” Sojiro asked, annoyed as he sipped his coffee. “To look pretty or what?”

“Psh, you couldn’t even do that if we paid you.” Futaba muttered as she typed furiously. “You’re here because you’re one of us, dummy.  Besides, you’ve provided all kinds of support before now!” Sojiro for his part blushed and let a hand fall on his daughter’s shoulder, a blossoming smile on his formerly scowling face.  Forgetting to type for a moment, the genius hacker blushed and glanced up at the man before returning to her current task, the holographic projection rotating one last time before a specific apartment became highlighted in blue over the orange backdrop of the building.  “Found it.”

Looking at his arm, Akira, who had since recovered some level of coherency, chuckled as he read off the time recorded, “Two minutes and ten.  You’re getting slow there Oracle.”

“Joker!” She whined and scrunched up her face. “That’s… no fair! I can’t go faster with all the VIs monitoring everything!”

“Just kidding, Oracle.” He assured her, amused and looked at the holographic display in front of him. “So, let’s get started.” With those words the three dimensional projection was zoomed into Charles’ apartment, Futaba having accessed the security cameras from her spot in Makoto’s room.  The layout was about what he’d expected, despite the much more technologically superior time and place they found themselves in. “Living room, personal library, bathrooms, guest bedrooms, pretty nice place for a corrupt, racist politician.”

“Yeah, remind me to send him a postcard once he’s in jail.” Ryuji muttered and glared at the projection, intently studying it. “The roof is hardly angled and lower than those of the surrounding buildings, could we get in there over that roof?” He asked and pushed his finger through one of the green colored holograms. “Sure, it’s a jump, but I figure I can get all the start-up I need over the length of the building.”  The confident grin splitting his face was all encompassing, but it conveyed all that needed to be said.

“Hmm… could work… the electronic security isn't anything I can’t handle.” Futaba mused and scratched her head. “Though I have no idea how you’re supposed to crack anything in there on your own.”

“Who said I’d be alone?” Ryuji asked and nodded at Morgana. “Mona is coming with me, between me and him we can get in and out in no time.”

“I like the way you think Skull.” Morgana declared excitedly as he hopped onto Makoto’s bed from the floor, before carefully walking up to the woman’s side.  “Though that does leave the question on how we get the rest of the group into the apartment.”

“We could just go through the front doors.”  Sae said with a shrug, earning a number of bemused looks.  “If we appear like we belong, then few people will question our being there.”

“She’s not wrong.”  Ann hedged, before just as quickly asking, “but what business could we possibly have in a high rise apartment building like this?  We are still just college students.”

“The people at the front desk won’t know that, especially if I hack the building’s registry so that we look like we have a place a few doors down from Charles’ place.”  Futaba grinned wickedly as she began to do just that, before happily declaring a few moments later, “Done! There’s a couple of empty apartments we can set up shop in realistically, I’ll go over assumed names and IDs later.”

“You’re surprisingly casual about forging IDs.”  Sae mused, only for Yusuke to blush a little as he rubbed the back of his neck.  “Hmm, I see. I nearly forgot that you’re a master artist. Identity fraud wouldn’t be too far outside your skillset I imagine.”

“You flatter me since I’m hardly a master, though I aspire to be.” Yusuke retorted bashfully though he did not refute her other statements.

“Don’t worry, by the end of this, I get the feeling identity fraud won’t even be in the top five worst things we’ve done.”  Sae countered, taking another measured sip of her coffee more to keep herself busy than anything at this point.

“Is that supposed to comfort me?” Sojiro threw in from the side, chuckling despite the slight discomfort that could be heard in his voice about how casually they spoke about blowing up and destroying a man’s home, even if he was a bastard.

“Just in case I’ll prepare a couple of automated taxis. I just need to send the signal and they’ll get you out… while the agency thinks they’re still following their usual routine.”  All the while, Futaba’s fingers continued to fly over her holographic keyboard. That she did it all one handed from her omni-tool was hardly a surprise at this point.

“You can do that?” Ann asked, surprised and blinked at their resident hacker.

“Considering all that stuff that’s been automated, I could probably even detonate more than a few toothbrushes with the right command.” Futaba explained with a careless shrug. “Don't ask me why some people need a little computer with eezo cores in their toothbrushes ‘cause I got no idea.”

Several hundred miles away, a fledgling Systems Alliance specialist Samantha Traynor sneezed….

Having no idea how to answer that, the rest of the group could only shrug before Akira said, “Putting that aside, we have a way in and a place to set up.  What else do we need to worry about?”

“Whether or not there’s anything worth taking.” Makoto said lowly and shrugged when everyone stared at her. “If I were Charles, I wouldn’t leave stuff just lying around, would you?”

“No…” Ryuji admitted with a sigh and kicked the ground. “So what… we give up?”

“No, we study the plans.” Makoto disagreed immediately and glanced at Futaba. “Futaba, could you get the official plans for Charles’ apartment and then compare them to the actual layout as we see it through the cameras?”

“Sure thing, Queen!” Oracle cackled as she worked her magic, silent as a grave for roughly another three minutes before another hologram superimposed itself upon the previous one.

“Now we hope we see anything that doesn’t fit.” Makoto stated with a grim smile, her eyes already taking everything in.  Yet no matter how hard she concentrated she couldn't find anything. “Damnit I-”

“Not so fast.” Yusuke cut her of, and stepped into the projection itself, slowly walking towards a small, almost unnoticeable corner close to the desk that didn’t align ever so slightly with the official blueprint they’d pulled up first.  “There’s something inside that desk, perhaps under it that’s not on the official plans. Or-” He’d not even finished before Futaba had zoomed in on the indicated section. “Hmm….now what are you hiding Charles?”

“There’s something beneath the floor of his place, and….the apartment below is stated to be under maintenance.  Now isn’t that something?” Futaba mused as she tried to hack the security in the room, only to raise an eyebrow when none of the expected cameras let her see anything.  “Cameras have been deactivated or destroyed, likely the latter since I can’t even get into the system from here.”

“Or perhaps they run on a completely different system.” Sae threw in, her experience with security measures was in no way inferior to that of the Phantom Thieves, if for differing reasons. “Perhaps they just save the data to a computer without ever having any contact with the extranet in any shape or form.  Only to be viewed from that one console.”

“Makes sense if there’s another system in place.  I’ll have to be on-site to find anything more if that’s the case.”

“Or Skull and Mona could take one of your gadgets and get you hooked up.” Akira suggested as he leaned back, his fatigue still all too visible for anyone that looked.

“Or that.” Futaba agreed with a shrug.

“Oracle, can you zoom out again and focus on the wall opposite of the desk?” Sae asked as she herself stood up and came to stand beside Yusuke.

“Uh sure.”

“There.” She pointed at something roughly at chest height. “Magnify here.” A second later, they stared at a vastly enlarged section of the wall and Sae narrowed her eyes. “Got you.  Yusuke, do you see anything unusual about these tiles?”

“Hmm, it appears to be a mosaic of some kind but… are those numbers hidden within the pattern?!  Clever ploy if that’s the case.” Leaning in close to the camera feed that Futaba had since pulled up for them of the man’s office, Yusuke pulled up a program on his omni-tool, and ‘painted’ the numbers on the screen that appeared, all without looking away from the image before him.  “It’s a bible verse.”

“Or a passcode for the desk’s hidden passageway.”  Akira stated matter of factly. “Given what we know it’s likely both, but I find it amusing he wrote it down for someone to stumble across.  His loss, our gain.”

“So… we march in, get dirt on the bastard, and then what?” Ryuji asked as he stretched himself, his arms above his head, fingers interlaced.

“Close but not quite, Skull.” Akira corrected him mildly. “We sneak in, get what intel we can, and then create a huge mess in the place, and right before we leave we tip off the alarm.”

“Ah…” Makoto mused and chuckled darkly. “You want him scared. I can't say I disagree.”

“Uh… but what about the bombs?” Haru asked confused. “Are we not going to blow it up?”

“That depends on the evidence we find.” Akira explained and sent her a grin that was all Joker, only to glance to the side as Ann raised her right hand.  The image was eerily similar to when they’d been about to defeat Kamoshida’s Shadow as her eyes narrowed to slits, and a five inch wide orb of fire appeared in her upraised hand before she just as quickly closed her fingers around the orb, dispelling it just as easily.  “....Or we can do it your way. Leaving bombs after we purposely tip him off isn't a good idea anyway.” Akira told everyone with a shrug. “Once the police arrives to check the break in by our honorable friends, they’d find them. We either go with Ann’s way… or we plant them later. Both works for me.”

“No argument here.”  Haru stated happily, a sentiment that was echoed by everyone else moments later. “So we wait with the fireworks till the grand finale?  I can’t wait!”

“Exactly.” Akira agreed, blue flames coming to life for a split second around his form the only sign of his bubbling anger. “I don't want him scared, I want him terrified. And once he is that’s when we’ll finish this, all of this.”

“At least until the next time.”  Ann cheerfully added before putting a hand on Akira’s shoulder.  “We’ll stop him.”

“That was never in any doubt.”  Akira replied firmly, a nod of his head all the others needed to go about their assigned tasks. “There’s just two things left… we still need to find the route to the Treasure, once he’s scared it should be easier but… I don’t think we’ve seen the last of that assassin.”

The others grew still at that, tense at the memory of almost losing one of their own to the cognitive version of some deadly assassin that Charles apparently knew well.  “I hate to be the one to say this, but… we might have to scout the area again, to make sure the safe room still works after we got booted out… Morgana, you’ll lead the others.”

“Me?!” The cat yowled in surprise, blinked, and looked over one shoulder from Makoto’s side. “But I.. I never-”

“You guided us from the very beginning, just play to your strengths, watch each others backs… because let’s be honest, I don’t have to tell you guys anything, you’ll figure it out yourself in no time.”

“If they do, I want in.” Sae stated clearly and got up, a fire in her eyes since she expected Akira to deny her, only to be caught flat footed when he nodded in reply.

“Surprised… can’t say I blame you but… if our journey has taught me anything, it’s that sometimes risks are not as risky as they appear but rather part of a carefully laid out plan I just can’t see yet.”

“Translation:  We wing it.” Makoto stated flatly, much to Akira’s amusement even as he shrugged and nodded since it wasn’t too far off the mark.

**Location: Saracino’s Palace**

**Date: Tuesday, April 27th, 2182.  Late Afternoon Rainy**

**Deadline:  21 Days until the election….**

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”  Sae murmured as she wobbled, a little dizzy from the transition from reality to the metaverse.  “Is it always like this?” She asked as they appeared in the warehouse they’d used to slip away from their attackers the first time.

“Meh, you get used to it.”  Skull said with a shrug of his broad shoulders, his giant staff weapon held loosely against the back of his neck as he walked forward with the rest of them.  “Hey Mona, ready to get this party started?”

“Y-yeah.  I’m just not used to doing this without Joker, or Queen.”  The now upright cat creature said as he hesitantly held his scimitar at his side, before he shook his head and forced himself to stand straight and proud.  “But the job’s the same as it’s ever been! We protect Themis until her Persona’s woken up, then we can get outta here until the others are in fighting shape!”

“Right!”  Everyone cheered while Sae simply nodded, determination radiating off of her as she followed within the center of their formation.  That meant she could see the subtle glance she shared with Haru, who flashed Yusuke a series of quick hand signals, that the rest were soon enough privy to as, without a word, the two in front turned down a particular avenue.

“Everyone got their Go-Home?”  Oracle asked quietly, and received positives from everyone, Themis included. “Good, if shiny dick bag shows up, we vanish and kick his teeth in later.”

“Man… Queen sure is influencing her.” Skull muttered quietly and Mona nodded his agreement.

“You make that sound like a bad thing.”  Sae stated softly, drawing a few surprised glances from those around her.  She merely smiled in response and said, “Before, I might’ve been against such attitude, but that’s no longer the case.  I want her to be able to stand on her own two feet, so if that means others are encouraged to follow her path, then who am I to argue against it?”

“Would you say the same if Joker influenced Queen?” Panther asked dryly.

Sae had to suppress a laugh at the truth of that statement.  “I see where you’re coming from… though I fear it’s far too late for that… for any of you, or am I wrong?”  She asked in turn, to which the rest of the group shrugged and smirked in response. “I thought as much, so arguing about it now would be pointless.”

“Perhaps, but he’s been a mostly positive influence throughout our time together.”  Fox chimed in, one hand never far from the katana on his hip. “What better person could we ask for to guide us forward?”

“You have a p-”  Sae trailed off, having forgotten that they were in hostile territory.  She remembered it though when they came out of the alley they’d walked into, only to come out onto the ‘busy’ slave market.  She’d been warned that Charles’ cognition of people was eerily accurate, to the point it was nearly impossible to tell the difference until one interacted directly with them, but to see it for herself was another matter entirely.

She felt sick, utterly sick, to the point she had to lean against a nearby wall as she tried to suppress the sudden wave of nausea she experienced. She had seen much as a prosecutor, as part of her studies she had watched autopsies before, she had seen photos and witness accounts of the most heinous of crimes, but this… it was something else entirely.  Something that so easily eclipsed everything she had experienced before. The fact that it was all part of Charles’ mental landscape somehow made it all worse as she saw just how truly twisted he was for herself.

The Phantom Thieves in stark contrast formed a protective circle around her, faces grim, eyes burning with anger at the sheer level of injustice on every side of them, but also strangely resigned.  “They aren’t real Themis.” Yusuke stated softly, but if Sae heard, she made no move to say that she had. Not that it was a comfort, since it was clear that this was the ideal world Charles wanted.

“This is what it means to be a Phantom Thief.” Panther told her quietly and put a hand on her shoulder. “If you become one of us… you will see things like this all the time… if you want to quit… we won’t think less of you.”

“And let my sister face this horror alone a moment longer?”  Sae growled between clenched teeth as her hands clenched up at her sides.  “To know I could’ve done something, and instead decided to turn away,  **_again_ ** ?”

“Your sister, is never alone.” Panther said firmly, a fire of her own entering her eyes. “We, all of us, are in this together. I just don’t want you to push yourself into something you don’t want to.” Sae froze when the younger woman actually pulled her into a tight hug. “You’re one of us, Themis. We just want you to be happy… no matter what you want to do from here.”

Allowing herself a shadow of a smile, the taller of the two gently pulled away, her gaze steady as she locked onto Ann’s pale blue orbs.  “You...I appreciate your concern, but it’s not necessary in this case. It’s...a lot to take in, despite having already seen Mementos, what lurked within those darkened tunnels, but I can’t stop halfway, not after having come so far already.  Besides, between the fact you saved me from myself, and then trusted me to help you take this bastard down, I’d never forgive myself by stopping now.”

“I get you.” Panther said, and Sae knew that the young woman truly understood her, in a way most people could never hope to.

“Just… how do you deal with things like this… and please don’t tell me you get used to it.”  Sae was quick to add as she stared balefully at the casual disregard for sapient life that was on prominent display in every store window, every giant billboard, and on the street itself.

“Well… everyone has their own way to deal with this stuff.” Panther began, even as she blushed a bit. “But you wanna know my secret?” Sae nodded and leaned forward as Ann did the same. “When I see stuff like this, I don’t get sad… I get angry.  Let the anger drown everything else out, but don’t let it control you. Use it, don’t let it use you.”

“I paint to release the stress myself.”  Fox said with a shrug.

“Meh, I run.”  Skull added.

“I just eat fish till I feel better.” Morgana threw in his own two cents and shrugged. “Besides… no matter how bad it gets… I know that there are people like you guys around.  That’s all the hope I need.”

“I usually just make weaklings scream till I feel better.” A new voice joined the conversation and from the sudden tense muscles the other thieves now sported as they readied themselves, Sae could hazard a guess as to why. “I’d show you, but I dont I need to… werent you more last time?”  The cognitive form of the assassin asked as he casually stepped out of a shadowy alcove above an otherwise brightly lit storefront, his katana resting against one black armored shoulder.

“Come down here and we’ll make one less of you asshole!”  Skull shouted, waving his arm angrily in front of him as he clenched the center of his staff with the other.

“I’d love to see you try that trick twice, kid.  You got the better of me once, but that won’t happen again.”  The man sneered, arrogance oozing off him in almost visible waves, his sneer deepened further when his concealed eyes,covered by his black visor that slid into place over his face, found Sae. “What’s this? Sacrificial lambs for the slaughter or did you get a kick out of me stabbing your friend last time?”

“Shut up.” Sae whispered as her hands began shaking in anger. Blood pounded in her ears, her breath coming in uneven gulps as her hands curled up so tightly that her fingernails bit into her palms.  “I’ve seen more than my share of human cruelty….but you and everything this place represents, make me sick in a way nothing else has.” 

“Cry me a river, hag.” The man scoffed and twirled his sword around. “So, who is ready for round two? Who's gonna bleed out today? You? Or perhaps you?” He asked idly pointing at various members of the Phantom Thieves with a deranged smile.  They weren’t Makoto, but Sae had come to care for them almost as much in her own way. She was no leader, not like Joker was, but she now fully understood the emotions she had seen his grey eyes when he had sat on Makoto’s bedside. This powerlessness, this desire to move heaven and earth in an effort to change something, anything, and ultimately he did.

**Unlimited Blade Works:  A Sword, No Words OST**

**_“So...you finally understand.”_ **  Sae jerked as a voice resounded between her ears.  It was painfully loud, sweat trickled down her brow, but she didn’t care, not now.  She embraced the pain, for as agonising as it was it felt like she was being reunited with something she had lost long ago as her eyes turned a bright, sickly yellow.   **_“Fooled into subservience, forced to scramble for every advantage in an unjust society, is it any wonder you became Distorted?  That you turned even against your own flesh?”_ **

“No...I’ve made mistakes….but I won’t ever go back to hating Makoto like that again, or myself for that matter!”  Sae growled through teeth clenched so tightly, she’d later wonder how she hadn’t shattered them as she put one hand against the side of her head while the other remained at her side, blood slowly falling between her fingers from where her nails had cut into her palm.

**_“This heartless world has forced many pains upon you. Are you just going to bow your head and succumb because others tell you to?”_ **

“You already know the answer to that question.”  Sae stated firmly, no longer afraid as she slowly straightened.

**_“Then show your defiance!  Say my name, and let the skies bleed before you henceforth!”_ **

Sae lifted her hands up to her face, grasping at the metallic mask that covered her face. She pulled, the pain she had felt before faded as an agony infinitely more excruciating took hold of her mind, as if she were physically peeling away a very piece of her soul.  Yet she didn't stop, couldn't stop, wouldn't stop. For the sake of her family, for herself she would never stop again! She forced her fingers into the smallest of gaps and tore off the mask that had hid her true self for too long, blood spraying into the air even as a wave of force exploded around her, stunning the cognitions’ nearby and earning approving smiles from her companions.

“Atalanta!” She screamed into the darkened heavens. She had no need for more words as a figure appeared behind her, her clothes and wounds having since changed and disappeared.  She faced in the opposite direction and yet she knew exactly how it appeared, after all, it was part of herself, her Persona.

“Whoa!  That was quick!”  Mona exclaimed, pride and surprise easy to see on his face as his blue eyes opened wide in amazement.  “And it’s meow-fulous!”

“Way to go Themis!”  Panther cheered with a triumphant fist pump.

“What the Hell is this?!”  The assassin cried, only to gasp as he jerked his head to the side, an arrow of the purest light slamming into the space he’d just been occupying close enough to shatter most of his black visor on its way past.

The longbow that Themis had leveled on him had materialized the moment she’d raised her hands, as if she’d always held the beautiful weapon her whole life.  “I didn’t give you permission to speak, assassin.” His mouth parted, yet before he could so much as breathe, a literal storm of projectiles began raining down upon him as Sae’s hands seemed to move so quickly that they left blurry afterimages as she pulled an arrow, set it to her glowing bow’s string, and loosed with a fluid grace that would’ve defied logic anywhere else.  “You hurt her… I will hurt you so much worse!” The rain of light upon the assassin only ended when the storefront balcony had been reduced to rubble, with the assassin dead at Themis’s feet several feet away before he just as quickly disappeared back into the shadow stuff that had created him.

“Yeesh, she didn’t even need her Persona!”  Oracle exclaimed, just as surprised as anyone as Sae slowly lowered her bow, the quiver on her back full of the same arrows she’d fired off in a seemingly never ending barrage.

“So the virgin huntress walks among us then?  I find it rather fitting.” Fox noted, earning a gentle nod from Themis for his trouble as the darkly clad Persona too nodded her masked head at the same time.

It was large, as was expected at this point, standing a head taller than any of them, but hers was reminiscent of her Shadow’s form from when she still had had a Palace, dressed in dark blacks and blues from the neck down.  A low drawn hood covering the Persona’s masked face that was unmistakably feminine in its soft curves despite the fully encompassing metal covering it, the form fitting dark blue hunter styled leathers doing little to hide the fetching woman underneath.  That the armor itself seemed to have been made from the hide of a giant, monstrous boar didn’t escape their notice, nor did the fact that her Persona also carried a bow not so dissimilar to Sae’s own as both crackled with the same pure light.

In contrast to her Persona’s appearance, Sae’s own outfit was lighter, featuring cloth and leather of light grey, white and blue tones. Though her mask was nearly identical to the one her Persona wore, though where Atalanta’s metal mask was made of gold, Sae’s own silver mask seemed to shine with moonlight. She could feel the leather boots that had replaced her ordinary footwear, the way they clung close to her lower legs, safeguarding them as well as supporting them further beneath her almost robe like cloth that hid the armor she wore underneath.  The power she could feel radiating from deep within her very being though was of far more immediate concern as she closed her eyes, and ‘heard’ her Persona speak once more.  **_“Never lose sight of yourself again.”_ **

“I won’t.  As long as I keep my eyes forward, I’ll never go back to who I’ve left behind.”  Looking up, Sae found the rest of the Phantom Thieves staring at her with all too clear understanding, sympathetic looks on their faces.  “I think it’s rather obvious you know what that’s like.” She stated, and stared down at her hands, knowing without needing to remove the elbow length gloves that her skin of her palms was no longer cut and bleeding.  Her Awakening had taken care of the superficial wounds all too easily.

“Yep, more or less Themis, but damn!  You’re a badass with that bow Miss Former Prosecutor!”  Shouted a gleefully excited Skull.

“I get the impression her spearwork will be just as impressive.”  Fox stated calmly as Themis only then realized she had a long if simple metallic spear strapped against her back.

Slowly pulling it free, Sae wasn’t all that surprised to find it was perfectly balanced.  “The scales of justice would fit well on this.” She mused, understanding the mentality that had spawned it and the rest of her attire all too well as she gave it a few experimental swings. Getting a feel for the deadly weapon, she was about to flourish it when the strength that infused her suddenly cut out, and worse, seemed to collapse in on itself, robbing her of the strength to even stand.  “Wha-...what’s going on?!”

“Easy.” Panther said as she knelt beside her. “You just used a lot of power, you’re simply tired.  It happened to all of us.” Panther glanced at the others. “We better leave, Themis has to rest, and we confirmed that the safe room is still available and secure.”

“Right.  You know the drill people!”  Mona declared. Without needing to be told, Skull offered a shoulder to Themis, who, despite wanting to stay and finish the fight then and there, allowed herself to be led off while the rest of the Thieves protected their flanks.  No Shadows stepped up to fight them though, which was odd, but not an unwelcome reprieve by any means.

“You conducted yourself admirably today, Themis.” Fox told her gently just as they entered the safe room. “In the future, it will be my pleasure to fight alongside you against such abominations and their injustice that they bring with them.”

Taking a seat on very unsteady legs, Themis sighed but smiled behind her stylized mask, having had a chance to calm down a bit now that the immediate crisis was over.  “Thank you. You’ve spoken plenty of how you all became Phantom Thieves, but I’m reminded once more that information alone does not equate experience. I...never could’ve imagined the power you’ve all obtained until getting a taste of it for myself.”  She marveled, her gaze once more falling to her hand as her costume disappeared in a blaze of spectral blue tinged with the purest light she’d ever seen before that pivotal moment. “I take it all of your Awakenings were that….traumatic?”

“Yeah, it was.”  Panther murmured uncomfortably as she gripped her upper arm.  “I… Kamoshida’s Shadow was about to have his way with me… when Joker, Skull and Mona arrived… if I had failed to Awaken then… I would’ve died… or worse… definitely worse.” At those words Sae felt her heart break just a little more than it already had. Was there no limit to the level of hardships these kids had endured she couldn't help wonder. If anything it made it even harder to sit still when all she wanted to do was use her new found powers to help them however she could.

“Same with me Panther, except he would’ve just killed me and Joker.”  Skull reached out to pull the blonde into an one armed hug, which she gladly accepted, much to Sae’s relief.

“We all have our stories that echo the others in some way.”  Noir added in turn, her head bowed for a moment before she looked up, that same strength and determination all too clear in the others’ gazes, “but together, we’ve become so much stronger than we ever could’ve been alone.  Even Mona’s grown in his own way!”

“Hehehe, yeah….I was a bit of a moron like Skull over there, huh?”

“Just a bit?”  Skull chuckled only to yelp when the cat shot his slingshot halfheartedly at him, forcing him to jump to the side.  “Watch it you stupid feline!” Sae chuckled along with the others at their antics, even as she noticed perhaps for the first time that none of them had any true heat in their words. She didn’t know if this was just how they treated each other, or perhaps an act the two of them played, but regardless of what it was, it set the others at ease and both boy and cat relaxed a bit when they saw the tension bleeding out of their friends.

Standing once more, Sae still felt pretty exhausted, but she felt ready to get back to their world.  “Shall we go then? I think I’m alright to walk back.”

“Sounds like a plan to me Themis!  And welcome to the gang!” Oracle cheered, which was quickly taken up by the rest of them.

Back at the hospital, Sae blew out a breath as she stifled a yawn behind one hand.  “Whoa…. I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired since getting out of law school.” Sae moaned and slumped down on the bed, utterly undignified, and yet she couldn't bring herself to care.

“I know the feeling.” Akira told her with an amused chuckle, his own eyes filled with their usual energy and intelligence once more. If one looked closely they could still see traces of fatigue, and she couldn't help but wonder just how much of his labours he hid from them that they couldn't see but he seemed fine, so Sae was all too happy to close her eyes once more. “Luckily for you, I know a remedy.”

“Wha-” She began before she let out a groan as he began to massage her back with surprising skill. “Where-”   


“You’d be surprised what some teachers can show you.” He replied with a chuckle as he proceeded to knead her stiff muscles. “As someone who regularly got these, I know they work wonders, don’t they?”

Sae only moaned in agreement and sighed blissfully as the uncomfortable stiffness faded from her body, only to be replaced with pleasant warmth. “Is there anything you can't do?”

“Fail to be a gentleman?” He suggested cheekily, not pausing for even a moment until Sae swore that her body felt better than it did when she got out of bed that day.

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver.”

“I try, though seriously don't mention it. You’re one of us, that means you get all the responsibilities and services we provide.”

“Such as?”  Looking up once he’d finished, Sae raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

Sitting back down in his chair, Akira just smirked as he said, “You need a massage? You know whom to look for.  You want diamonds? You know what to kill, same with cash really. We’re still working on the amount of holidays you get annually, but we’ll tell you once we have an idea. And don’t forget our legendary coffee and mean curry.”

“Heh, I had wondered before how you were able to acquire the wealth necessary for your elaborate heists, now I have a far better understanding of how you did it all, and that was before I obtained the same power you did.”  She said as she sat up and took a seat across from Joker. While only Makoto’s bed was between them, with the young woman out cold currently, it was remiscient enough of their time in that interrogation room that the parallel wasn’t lost on the former prosecutor.

“It's fun, isn't it?” He asked her with a knowing grin. Sae opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself.  He was right she realised, as threatening as the situation had been, a part of her had enjoyed the rush of it all, the power she now wielded, the wonders she was able to see in the Metaverse. So she simply shrugged sheepishly at him and chuckled in turn.  Just as quickly, his smile faded, and his gray eyes gleamed with a far more serious intent. “You also understand the danger it poses.”

“I do.”  Sae stated evenly, no longer smiling as she recalled the mental shutdown and psychotic breakdown victims that Akechi and Shido had left behind in their wake.  “I won’t ever abuse this gift, not like they did.”

“Remember you said that when you face Saracino.”  Joker warned, because to call him Akira wouldn’t have been right in that moment, to which Sae only nodded, not about to try and say anything to assure him of her ability to hold herself back.  Because she honestly wasn’t sure if she could when the time came to take down the man that had put Makoto in the hospital.

She supposed that in the end she could prepare herself as best she could, but in the end she had to trust her sister and the others to keep her from doing her worst if it came to pass.  But just like the Phantom Thieves trusted one another to keep each other in check, she trusted Akira and the others to keep her from doing anything she’d regret when, rather than if, the time came and Charles was forced to yield to them….to her.

**End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _ Did we just give Themis her Persona? Oh yes, we most certainly did. Or rather Themis just earned her Persona, but given their usual methods, it didn't seem too far off to take Sae with them. By now they probably noticed that such things happen whether or not they wish them to. Thus they figured, that'd be safer to take her with them so that they could keep an eye on her. And seeing how she blew Kai Leng to bits, I’d say that was a total success! At the same time we came up with a plan to steal Saraccino’s distorted desires, which I think isn't actually bad provided they can pull it off. Additionally we took the chance to show that Joker learned a lot in his year in Tokyo, and not just in regards to school. God, I love that massage thingy of Kawakami, it’s like super useful!  Also, he is still able to put the moves on women without even meaning to, so… just like a usual social link. _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  As for Sae herself, we modeled her Persona and her own Phantom Thief outfit from Atalanta, coupled with the fact she herself has much in common with the virgin huntress, which made it a match made in Persona heaven to give her a bow and spear to go with her personality and former trials she’s undergone.  Greek lore buffs will know Atalanta performed far better than her male counterparts when it came time to hunt down a monstrous boar that had been rampaging across the countryside, killing countless people, trampling over farmers’ fields, and smashing aside any home it came across. Later however, she’d be beaten in a foot race due to the rather ‘clever’ use of golden apples that her future husband threw ahead of him anytime he started to fall behind. _

_ Considering Sae allowed herself to be misled and distorted, although she didn’t know that could actually happen at the time, it made it that much simpler to pair her off with Atalanta at the end of the day.  Besides, her spear would indeed work perfectly in balancing the scales of justice, given Sae’s personality and love for the law, even when she bent it to suit her own distorted ends when she was at her worst.  She made mistakes, and she’s aware of them, thus she’s doing her best to balance out her own scales you might say. While her Shadow has more Christian origins, given it’s Leviethan, a ‘great sea serpent’, hers is one of the few with more modern day leanings since it has both a blade and a gun on its arms, her preference for law and order, even as she cheated that same system while she was distorted, made us naturally lean towards a more Greek base for her Persona’s appearance, same with her look. _

**_Nomad-117:_ ** _ Sure they were magic golden apples but still, the comparison seems kinda fitting. And well, she usually murdered those guys she caught so… I suppose if I were in his situation I’d throw those apples as well.  Or alternatively, I just wouldn’t compete in such a suicidal murder race, but meh, that's just me. _


	20. Broken Seals

**Chapter 20**

 

**Broken Seals**

 

**Location: New York, USA. Near Central Park**

**Date: Thursday, April 29th, 2182.  Morning Sunny**

**Deadline:  19 Days until the election….**

It took only two days to prepare.  They’d have gotten things together sooner, but school was still in session, and their cover still needed to be maintained despite having ‘officially’ pulled away from the Kirijo Group for the time being.  Sae had to admit that things had been very hectic in those two days as they took multiple trips into Mementos, to get her used to her new powers and Persona, as well as getting her accustomed to exerting herself in a way she’d only heard about before that moment.  Facing Shadows herself, that had been….eye opening, despite having seen a few before now during her exploration of the Metaverse with the rest of the Phantom Thieves.

Now though, while she still had a long way to go before she’d be a match for even the weakest of the group, she felt like she’d made significant progress as she carried the last of their gear to the apartments they’d ‘requisitioned’ for their stakeout of Charles’ place, with the man himself due to arrive tomorrow unless something changed.  “At least the view’s nice from up here.” Sae mused as she admired the high rise apartment space that they’d been able to get their hands on, or rather that Futaba had been able to ‘acquire’ through her digital wizardry.

“Meh, a bit too gaudy for my taste.”  Ann stated in turn as Sae followed her gaze as the blonde set down her own load of assorted boxes and the like.  Sae took another look at the apartment herself, and quickly shrugged since while the pale blue and purples of most of the furniture and walls could be redone, it wasn’t the worst place she could have seen herself putting her feet up.

“I don’t know, it has a certain charm to it.”  Sae finally said, earning a befuddled glance from Ann for her trouble.  Just as quickly, she turned and saw Makoto followed closely by Akira, who in turn brought in the rest of the gang despite the fact there was another place just a door down from this one.  “So this is the beginning of our campaign.”

“Looks that way sis.”  Makoto stated, one hand idly wandering over where she’d been stabbed only just a few days ago despite the injury having been healed completely by this point.  “It’s not too late to back out.”

“Not on your life.”  Sae stated firmly, making it abundantly clear this was not up for discussion.  “I knew what I was doing when I went to his Palace. I’ve made my choice, just as you all have.”

“Glad to hear it.” Akira stated as he went to open one package in particular, which at first glance only contained a lot of separate parts, only for the teenager to assemble them slowly but surely into something that began to look more and more like a rifle.

“Dude… where did you get that?”

“Hmm?” Joker asked, as he glanced at his blonde friend with a sly smile. “Oh this? It just fell from the back of a truck.  Amanda won’t miss it since she made sure it fell in the first place.”

“Can this thing shoot?”

“It could.” Joker admitted easily and held up a block of metal. “Though without this… well we won’t have to worry about accidentally killing somebody.”

“Why do you even have that in the first place?”  Asked a slightly astonished Makoto, who couldn’t help but marvel at the weapon that would work well for her in the Metaverse.  She was so intrigued by it that she couldn’t help but reach out and touch it, but thought better of it at the last second.

“Oh you know, overwatch from here. Figured since we got such a nice view we might as well use it… besides we don't just have that. I’ll get to the others later.”

“Did they fall off a truck as well?”  Sae asked, genuinely curious as she crossed her arms over her suit covered chest.

“Well… yes and no.” Joker settled on saying and chuckled. “But between Oracle’s info and my experience with Iwai… you’d be surprised what some people are willing to sell.”

“Ugh… Of course.” Sae muttered and pinched her nose. “Why am I even surprised?”

“I got one for you too.” Akira told her with a smile, as if that made everything better.

“That’s not- wait, is that a bow?”  She asked, her gaze falling on a case that distinctively resembled an archer’s case.  She had her answer when Joker unclasped the locks holding it closed, and flipped the black lid up and away, revealing a beautiful work of art that resembled the crackling bow of light she’d used just two days ago, minus the fact this was the real thing rather than one made purely of her cognition.  “I haven’t held one of these since I was a freshmen in high school.” She stammered, unable to help but smile, truly grateful for the gift from the man that was unmistakably the leader of their unusual group. Gently taking it up into her hands, Sae pursed her lips in thought as she pulled the bow string back experimentally, nodding her approval of how easily she remembered the set of motions, let alone the strength of the bow itself as it bent with ease.  “Perfectly balanced, draw strength’s about what I remember it. Can’t imagine it couldn’t have been easy to find one in this day and age.”

“You’d be right, except Amanda had a few laying around that were otherwise collecting dust. All I had to do was check it for damage and replace a few damaged parts.” He told her modestly, even as he revealed more about what he had gotten up to with Iwai before he continued. “Apparently one of the old Shadow Operatives was big on archery during her days as a Persona User.  Yukari something, used to be an actress from what Amanda told me.”

“I see.” Sae muttered even as she marveled at the weapon in her hands.  “I’ll do my best to honor the one who used this last if she was indeed like us.”  Akira only nodded, certain she had nothing to worry about in that regard as Sae gently set it back into its case for the time being.  “Is that the last of it then?” She asked as Yusuke and Haru brought up one last set of boxes.

“I believe so.”  Haru cheerfully stated.  “The rest outside will go to the other apartment until our mission’s done.”

“Forgive my impatience but… when will we begin?” Sae asked as she looked around herself, the concealed amusement immediately tipping her off.

“Why that is an excellent question. We strike at nightfall.” Joker declared and looked her in the eye. “Charles should still be in the hospital, to ‘keep him secured’ and make sure that there aren't any complications.”

“Finally!” Ryuji cheered and pumped his fist. “So ‘Operation Kick the Dirtbag in the Nuts’ is a go!”

“I’m sceptic regarding this name. It seems a bit obvious, not to mention crude.” Yusuke declared with a frown. “And unnecessarily long, perhaps a shorter, more mysterious name would be more fitting?”

“Who cares what we call it!”  Morgana grumbled as he jumped up onto a pile of boxes before proceeding to lick his paw.  “We’re not sticking around once the calling card’s sent and he’s on the verge of having a total meltdown, so we need to make sure this works or we won’t have another chance to weaken his mental state.  If we can’t do that, then we can forget about trying to take down his Palace Ruler.”

“Easy.” Joker interrupted before the argument could begin to truly heat up. “For most of us this isn't the first time, and I believe our newcomer will fit right in. So let's do as usual, in style, and without complications.”

“We didn’t have complications?” Ann wondered and frowned. “I always thought that a lotta things were making life hard for us.”

“Yeah, but I’m pretending that that didn’t happen.” Joker admitted shamelessly and leaned back into the chair he’d since taken over. “Still holding out hope that it won’t happen this time.”

“Hope for nothing, that way you won’t be disappointed.”  Sae chimed in, her gaze strangely drawn to the bow case she’d left on the table for the time being.  “Having said that, I firmly believe that, whatever comes from here, we’ll manage to get through it.”

“Quite right Themis.”  Morgana cheerfully stated as he looked up towards the newest member of the group.  “We are the most stylish thieves to ever exist after all.”

“Until then… who’d like a cup of coffee?” Haru asked and stood up. “I believe it will make the wait easier on all of us.”  There was no argument from the others as they gladly took a break from unpacking things to just enjoy the moment, and to celebrate the fact Sae was now officially a part of the gang.

**Nightfall….**

Charles Saracino’s apartment was about what they’d seen through the various video cameras as Skull and Mona quickly accessed the glass ceiling, opening up the window that normally allowed fresh air into the place.  This time it was letting a couple of ‘cat burglars’ inside the racist politician’s home, with the bleach blonde young man grinning wickedly as he set up the pulley system they’d brought along for the task. “Hey Mona, you got that window open yet?”

“Psh, please, thanks to Oracle’s hacking and my nimble fingers, this little electronic lock’s got nothin’ on me.”  Despite the fact the cat had no ‘fingers’ to speak of, the window slowly opened all the same as Morgana yowled triumphantly once the way was clear.

“Nice.” Skull whispered approvingly, his grin audible in his voice even if it was not visibly hidden behind a balaclava and his skull mask as it was. “No time like the present!” With that declaration Ryuji began his descent, Morgana sitting on his right shoulder as they slowly approached the floor of the darkened apartment.  “This is Skull, we’re in.” He said quietly, trusting that his team would still be able to hear him through the comms.

“Fox here, Noir and I have you in our sights.” The artist turned Phantom Thief reported from his perch on the opposing rooftop, his partner by his side as they gazed through their scopes into Saracino’s apartment. “Nothing noteworthy to see thus far save for a roving guard, but he’s half asleep at his desk currently.”

“Panther here, I’m in position.” The blonde muttered quietly, further down the street and ready to create a distraction if it became necessary as she ‘idly’ messed about with her omni-tool, as if she were busy checking her social media or something.

“Myself, Queen and Oracle are on overwatch.” Their leader declared as he viewed his friends through the security feed they were intercepting. “You’re in the clear, Themis is standing by, ready for evac.  That guard’s still lazing about the back office for now, but if he moves we’ll let you know.”

“Got it boss.  Let’s get this party started!”  Ryuji cheered as loudly as he dared as he and Morgana slunk off, away from the large floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the city itself. “Damn, this bastard’s got a pretty huge place… didn’t look that big from the vid feed… where to first?”  He asked as the blonde scanned their immediate surroundings.

“To your right, then follow the corridor.  Make sure the guard doesn't see you, and then turn left.” Oracle instruced as their teammates did their best to follow her commands as they crept through the darkness, making no noise as they did so.  All those days in the Metaverse, sneaking through Palaces, and the two lessons they’d had with Kasumi, despite the one that very day being more about the various security systems a thief would typically encounter, had really paid off for all of them.  The guard had no idea there was trouble sneaking around the place as Ryuji easily dashed past the man’s station without him even catching a glimpse of the two. “Heh, moron.”

“You’re tellin’ me Oracle.”  Skull chuckled under his breath as he came to a stop at the corridor before turning left.  “Anything in particular we’re after, or we just grabbing anything of value while trashing the rest?”

“We need to check that office and the hidden space below before we do anything.”  Morgana hissed softly, despite the fact anyone else would only hear a cat meowing.

“Plug in Oracle’s little present first, I want to know what this guy does on his terminal.” Joker decided and stared at the holographic projection. “While Oracle does her thing, I want you two to take a look around and in this hidden room, but take care we don’t lose anyone here.” He was confident in their abilities, but he still couldn't help but worry.  He briefly wondered if that’s what Sojiro felt like most of the time and resolved to include the man more, so that he wouldn't have to worry so much.

A quick affirmative from Skull and Morgana drew him out of his brief introspection as the pair began to quietly rummage about the office, with the cat quickly plugging in the OSD that Oracle had prepared for this very occasion.  That was her cue as a link was established to her own terminal as her little Trojan program began to dive deep into whatever passed for security in the man’s personal setup. “This is weird.” Oracle muttered as she began to go through what she’d been able to access so far.  “There’s records of credit transfers, a few video files, but nothing that’s outright telling me what he’s been doing. Are we sure it’s part of a separate network?”   


“It might only be records and not the actual transfers themselves.”  Noir informed the rest, which seemed to make the most sense to Oracle as she pursed her lips.  “As for the video logs, perhaps he records private meetings with his associates in that so called empty apartment?”

“With or without their knowledge I wonder?  Meh, doesn’t matter.” Futaba said with an audible shrug before she clicked the first of the video logs to see what had required such a heavy level of security to keep out of the public eye. She glowered when she only received errors of various natures. “Encrypted huh?  Well, at least this won’t be too boring.”

“Open Sesame.” Ryuji declared as he pushed the last of the hidden buttons in the mosaic. Soundlessly the wall slid apart, revealing a small corridor that lead to a tiny elevator. “Okay… this might take a few… wanna make sure that nothing here is booby trapped, or anything. Mona.. do your thing.”

“Already on it.” The cat declared boldly as he pushed onward, keen eyes mustering every nook and cranny even as his partner scanned the entire hallway with his omni-tool. After coming to the conclusion that they weren’t about to set off any alarms, the two of them crept forward, Morgana already beginning to fiddle with a terminal that was on eye level for him. “Hmm… I’m not sure… but this whole thing seems to provide energy for whatever is hidden down there… there are cameras… but I’m not sure if we should fry them…”

“Just plug in the OSD, I’ll block any signal they might send.” Oracle ordered distractedly, her eyes flying over countless lines of code as she did her best to crack the encryption of the video files. As they did so, Futaba frowned as she mustered the new data she received. “That's strange, if I’m reading this right, this whole hidden compartment is cut off from the outside world. No signal gets in or out, even the water gets recycled in there.”

“I find myself growing more suspicious the more I hear.” Fox declared, his voice calm despite his troubled mind. “I have little doubt that if there is something incriminating to be found, then we will find it in this hidden compartment.”

“I agree.” Themis said as she joined the conversation she had thus far abstained from. “There’s gotta be a reason why someone would go to such lengths to isolate this room.”  Something about all this felt like a case she’d worked not long after finishing her law degree. Deciding to follow her gut, she gently took over the comms from Joker, and said, “Skull?  Do me a favor and check for heat signatures.”

“Huh?  Alright.”  Skull replied, uncertain but not about to disagree with the former prosecutor as he ran through the options on his omni-tool.  “You expecting to find something Themis?”

“I sincerely hope not in this case, because if I’m right, this is going to get really bad.”

“O-okay.” Skull said, clearly unsettled by that as he scanned for heat signatures, his face morphing into an expression of displeasure. “Damnit.. It’s no good, the readings are getting all scrambled up!  I’m going in, Mona you stay here, we should still be able to talk in that case.”

“Forget that, I’m going with you!”  Mona protested, making it clear he wasn’t about to leave Skull’s side.  “We came this far, so it only makes sense we’d keep going.”

“Thanks ya mangy feline.”  Despite the insult, Skull was indeed grateful for the cat’s company as he clambered up onto his shoulder once more.  “Well, here goes nothing.”

“If the room’s shielded, comms might not work once you’re inside.”  Oracle warned, to which the pair nodded in unison.

“Fox, Noir, you keep an eye out, Skull and Mona are going in.  If it looks like they might get caught, we’ll need a distraction from you Panther, the rest of us will do our best to get them out of there.” Joker declared, mentally considering their best options for that. “Skull, Mona, take a quick look, then report back. We can’t warn you if you cant hear us… If we don’t hear from you in five minutes, we’re getting you out.”

“See ya in five Joker.”  Skull promised before stepping through the door once it was open.  Taking a breath, he and Mona shared a look as his comms went dead the moment they crossed the threshold.  “Figures. Well, better get this over with.”

“Hopefully we didn’t trip a proximity sensor of some kind.”  Mona muttered uncomfortably, the thought having come too late for it to matter as the door shut behind them.  “Too late to worry about it now.”

“Meh, Oracle can handle it if we did.”  Skull said with a shrug of his shoulders, his trust in Futaba absolute, to the point he wasn’t worried as he took in the room they found themselves in.  To call it an apartment would’ve been a kind overstatement though since there wasn’t much in the way of creature comforts. Only a single, long metallic table resided in the center of the living room, with a series of matching chairs on either side, with a larger, leather black recliner placed at the head of one side, making it clear where Charles himself most likely sat.  While there was a guest bedroom just visible from where they stood, it was more of a storage area than a proper bedroom given the amount of clothes, boxes, and knick knacks they could just see without giving the room a proper once over. “This is weird.”

“Tell me about it, something’s not right about this.”  Mona agreed, right before his ears perked up and his head immediately jerked towards another hallway.  “Wait, do you hear that?”

“Hear what?  I can’t hear a thing over the sound of y-”  A paw slapping itself over his mouth shut Ryuji up on the spot.  Blinking at the absurdity of it, Skull didn’t immediately know what to do until he felt Morgana nudge him forward.  “Alright alright, yeesh!” It didn’t take Skull long to hear what Mona had already noticed. The sound was muffled, but there was definitely someone down here with them.  Sharing an uncomfortable look with Morgana, Skull stopped just in front of a door with a pretty hefty security lock on it. “This is gonna be a problem. Why do I have a very bad feelin’ about this all of a sudden?”

“We… we can't just ignore this.” Mona declared even as he sounded rather uncertain himself.  “I’ll open the lock…shouldn’t be too hard once I take care of the power.”

“Oh and how are you gonna-” Skull didn’t get the chance to finish as Mona jumped atop a nearby table and then up towards the wall where three cables were coming from the ceiling.

With a strength no normal tabby cat could hope to possess, Morgana tore the cables loose, plunging the entire room into darkness. “Easy.”

“So… how do we get back up without the elevator?”  Skull asked as he glared down at the openly grinning black cat.

“Oh.” the embarrassment could be heard in Mona’s voice as he fumbled for an answer. “Uh… well I’m sure that we’ll find a way once we take a look inside this room.”

“Just, urgh, be quick about it. I don’t want Joker tearing the place apart just because we were too dumb to get back up.”  Still, Skull wasted no more time as he went to open the door that had automatically opened partially upon having lost all power.  While most security doors didn’t do that, this one seemed to have not gotten that update as he was able to wedge his fingers into the narrow crack between the door itself and the frame, forcing it open along its track.  With a barely suppressed grunt, Skull squeezed himself into the space he’d created and braced himself on the floor as he pushed the door open the rest of the way. Only once it’d been done did he allow himself a moment to catch his breath, just as Morgana bounded through the now open door.

“Skull, get in here, quick!”  The cat’s frantic yowling was all it took for Skull to take off, his momentary breathlessness forgotten.

“What the shit is this?!”  He breathed out as his eyes took in the scene Mona had already discovered.

Meanwhile, in their little overlook hideout, Joker paced anxiously in front of Oracle’s computer setup.  “There’s still time.” Futaba stated without having to look at the digital readout that was counting down on her main terminal’s screen.

“Doesn’t mean I won’t worry Oracle.”

“Your pacing is going to drive me up a wall.”

“I- Sorry.” He settled on saying and forced himself to stop moving. “Usually I can do something… right now I’m still recuperating… I hate this.”

“Easy there Joker, just give them a bit more time before we storm the castle.” Oracle retorted and flashed him a brief grin before she returned to her work. “About...got it.  Besides, Themis is already on standby remember? We can have them out of there in under a minute.” She assured him, her fingers a blur as she continued to type out various lines of code to try and crack the encryption on the video logs they’d discovered.  “And all your secrets belong to us!” She declared, hitting the Enter key as the encryption broke, and she was able to access the logs without further issue. “Hmm….looks like this first entry’s a meeting of some kind. Wait, is that a batarian?!”

“Why would a known xenophobe meet with a batarian?” Joker asked and stepped closer.

Pressing one hand against the side of her headphones, Oracle listened intently to the video that she’d set to play while doing her best to answer Joker’s questions at the same time.  “No idea… they’re talking about some kind of deal they made in the past, but neither of them are going into detail. My guess, this batarian knew he was being filmed and didn't want to play into his hands.”

“Makes sense… anything else?”

“A couple of personal memos I guess… at least they look like that, gonna take awhile to go through them… oh hello.” She muttered as she delved deeper into the data. “What’s this? Dates? Was he keeping a video diary?”  Her download of the network’s contents was still ongoing, and she hadn’t had time to scan over all of the new data yet, but the series of diary entries certainly looked promising as she clicked on the first one. “Hmm….I’ll say this much, this guy likes to hear himself talk.  Give me a minute to figure out what this is about.”

“Keep me posted.”  Joker gently ordered, to which Futaba nodded, one hand pressed against her headphone while the other continued to work her omnitool.

“Blah blah blah, xenophobic rhetoric...more rhetoric, wait what was that?”  Her bemused question got Joker’s attention as he turned to regard her. Beckoning him over, he wasted no time in returning to her side.  Queen also looked up from her own feed at the sudden interest in Oracle’s voice. “I’m having trouble isolating it… sounds like background noise, but…I think someone’s talking.  Let me try to get enhance it.” A few quick taps at her digital keyboard, a fast series of adjustments, and Oracle rewound the video, having completely cut off Charles’ monologuing so she could focus solely on the background noise.  “What the heck?! It...sounds like someone crying? Don’t tell me-”

“He’s got himself a slave.”  Sae stated flatly, the look on her face saying so much more as the others looked up to meet her gaze as she approached.  “One of my early cases dealt with human traffickers smuggling their ‘goods’ out of the country.”

An all too familiar outrage filled Joker’s heart and mind at those words, his hatred for such injustices flaring a new once more, but, somehow, he reigned it in. He couldn't allow himself to act hastily here, he needed to keep a cool head and get his team out. “Any word from Skull or Morgana? Even an attempt we noticed?”

“Nothing thus far…” Oracle admitted her eyes flitting across the screen.

“Themis… get in the skycar, Noir, go with her.  Fox I need you to put in the ammunition block. We’re going in.”

“Joker? What are you planning?” Panther asked over the comms system.

“Fox will shoot the window, belay that, the skycar will just smash right through it since we can't have anyone triangulate the origin of the shot. We subdue the guard and get them out, with the captive.”

“And then what?” Sae countered as she raised an eyebrow. “We can’t keep them here.”

“We’ll have to drop them off at the hospital.  We can’t trust the police since we already suspect they've helped cover up one murder involving Charles’ dealings after the so called shooting.”

“The police will be involved, sooner or later.” Sae pointed out and leaned back a bit. “The hospital will have to report their appearance and their state, which will lead them to suspect a crime.”

“Correct, but this way we’ll have a bit more time.” Joker replied and sighed heavily. “I doubt we can keep a watch on them around the clock, but… no, we have to see what state they’re in first. They might not even be able to communicate… get them out of there.”  Having decided, the rest didn’t bother to argue, mostly because there was no time for it, but truthfully they were just as invested in getting Skull, Mona, and Charles’ prisoner out alive at this point. Besides, leaving someone in the man’s ‘possession’ wasn’t acceptable for any of them.

Having already gone to get the skycar, Sae could only marvel at the group’s astonishing level of commitment and coordination to the task they’d undertaken together.  Getting into the driver’s seat, Noir jumped in behind her, and the former prosecutor didn’t even wait till the door had fully closed before she accelerated. “So… I’m guessing that any possible failsafes in this car have been turned off?”

“Of course.” Oracle replied proudly. “Can’t have this thing stop just because of a red light or anything.”

“Just checking.”  Themis stated before letting her foot slam down on the accelerator.  It was just as well, because she’d only just gotten the car lined up with Charles’ apartment window, when she and Noir saw Skull, Mona, and an amphibious, dusky brown drell woman, wrapped simply in whatever blanket they could find, charging for the window only for the blonde to pull the alien woman aside when he saw what was coming right for them.  Sae didn’t disappoint as she put the car’s front through the glass, with Noir throwing open the side door for the trio to get in. “Get in, now!”

“Yeesh!  Yes ma’am!”  Skull blanched only to duck as the guard they’d left alone decided to show his face, and start firing at them without so much as a warning.  “Shit!”

“I got this!” Morgana declared, running towards the guard, keeping low to the ground before jumping straight up, past the guard’s face who whirled around to face whatever just had missed him as Morgana pushed himself off the wall, extending one leg in a karate style pose and connected with his face, breaking the nose and knocking the man to the ground.  Normally he’d have spent time gloating over such a stylish takedown, but there wasn’t time for it as he took off the moment he hit the ground in a full on sprint, leaping into the back seat and right onto Noir’s lap as she pulled the car’s door shut. “Go!”

Sae sped off, backing up the way she’d come in without further delay, leaving quite the mess on their way out.  Not that she much cared as she glanced in the rearview mirror towards their unexpected third passenger. “How is she?”

“She… she stopped sobbing… but aside from that.” Skull muttered and glanced at the scaled face, dark eyes staring right past him and at the roof of the skycar without really seeing anything.  “She might be drugged, or she’s a lot more effed up than I was really able to tell when we found her before we had to make a break for it.”

“Likely a bit of both if I were to guess.”  Noir uncomfortably stated as she carefully approached the woman they’d been able to rescue.  Slowly reaching out for her face, Haru’s eyes focused solely on the drell’s vacant stare. “I’m no medic, but I think her pupils are dilated and blown.  That she was able to move at all says that whatever he had her on might be wearing off.”

“Oracle is preparing a little surprise as we speak.” Joker cut in then. They could hear the barely controlled agitation in his voice. “She’ll flood every hospital in a hundred mile radius with false drell patients, if they wanna find her, they’re gonna have to physically look for her the hard way.”

“That gives us time to finish this.”  Sae growled low in her throat, her hands tight around the steering wheel in front of her.

Dropping the drell woman off was at least a simple enough affair, with Oracle having phoned in an emergency pick up at the front door.  They didn’t stick around to answer questions they couldn’t answer, especially not in their Phantom Thieves getup, but Oracle’s eyes and ears were everywhere in this part of town, so it was a simple enough matter to check the camera feeds to see the drell woman had been rushed to an examination room.

“Alright now what?” Sae asked as she steered the skycar to an abandoned street where they would leave it behind.  There was no sense in keeping it around, where it would only end up being used to track them down.

“Get back to the apartment, we’re going into the Palace.”

“Right now?”  Sae asked, just as surprised as Noir looked as the young heiress looked towards her.

“Right now, we’re all still good to go. Mona and Skull will be a part of the back up team, we’ll end this hard and fast.” Joker said, his voice brooking no argument. Not that they thought to offer one. By the time they returned to the apartment, Panther and Fox had joined the crew as well from their respective posts, looking quite impatient to be on their way.

What surprised her was that both Joker and Makoto stood with them, evidently intent on accompanying them.  A single glance at their determined faces told her enough, they would go to the Palace one way or another. Thus she offered no protest as the world seemed to fade around her only to rematerialize moments later, far different from what it’d been a moment agot. “Everyone good?” Joker asked as he turned around, his hand already on the handle of the door that would lead them out of the safe room. Obviously fighting against the anger he felt, though even now he wanted to make sure that he didn’t drag anyone down because of it.

“Good to go.” Skull assured him as Mona nodded right beside him. “I’d feel a whole lot better if we’d just kicked his ass already.”

“Good. That’s what I’ve been thinking.” Joker agreed, as he tossed open the door and marched out, his gait confident as he stalked into the warped and depraved streets around them.

“Back for more?” A familiar voice taunted as a blade flashed towards their leader’s neck, who didn’t so much as look up as he grabbed the offending limb and lifted his other hand to put a bullet through the would be assasin’s kneecap. Not finished with that however, he twisted the hand to the side and grabbed the sword’s handle, ramming it through the cognition’s throat and into a wall where he left him choking on his own shadowy blood as he marched on.

“Jeez… Joker is pissed.”  Oracle muttered and shuddered. “That’s never pretty.”

“You think?” Panther asked her rhetorically as she stared at their leader’s back with worry in her eyes.  “I… I’ll talk to him… he doesn’t have to do this alone.”

“Exactly!  We’re all pissed as hell after this!” Skull agreed and pumped his shotgun for unneeded emphasis.

To their surprise, it was Themis that stopped Panther with a restraining if gentle hand on her shoulder.  “Let him cool off a bit first. There’s still time before we get to the Palace itself.”

“I just don’t like him seeing like this.” Panther muttered and looked down as if embarrassed. “I want to help him… but I don’t know how, he shouldn’t have to shoulder all of this himself.”

“He isn’t alone, not since he’s surrounded himself with all of you.”  She replied as her hand fell away from the blonde’s arm. “Right now he’s taking his anger out on those that deserve it, because he doesn’t want you to get caught up in his rage.  Take it from someone that knows better than anyone.” Her words were illustrated further when Joker swiftly disemboweled another Shadow that tried to stop him before vaporising another one before it had even time to spot him.  “Granted, it might take a little more time than I’d like…” Sae muttered at the brutal efficiency on full display from the man that had confounded countless attempts to stop him and his team. “But you must remember, his anger right now is more than just outrage at what we just found, he’s venting everything he has endured since Queen got hurt, something that he holds himself responsible for, his powerlessness in the face of Charles, along with the fact that he could do little but sit around these past days and recover.”

“Well, yeah but what about Queen she- nevermind.” Panther stopped herself as she spotted Queen right beside Joker, happily pounding a screeching Shadow into the ground with her fists as the rest of the team stood by and watched.

“I’m jealous.” Noir sighed as she watched the two of them. “This looks like so much fun.”

“I rest my case.”  Themis chuckled despite her lingering discomfort in her own right about everything that had transpired in recent days.  But if she needed any proof she too needed to vent her own frustration, she didn’t have to wonder for long as a Shadow swooped down upon her from on high.  Without a word, she pulled the long, metallic spear free of its sheath on her back, spinning it about her waist as she turned to face it, and thrust the weapon up and forward, catching the creature dead between the eyes as its sword fell from a suddenly limp hand.

“Whew… alright.” Joker muttered and took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before reopening them. “I apologize, I seem to have lost my composure.”

“Uh… you went on a killing spree man… but close enough I guess.” Skull groaned and shook his head. “So I guess that means we can stop hanging back and get in on the slaughter?”

“Be my guest.”  Joker invited with a grand gesture of his free hand.  They needed no further prompting than that as the rest of the team, minus Themis and Oracle, to have at the Shadows that dared to stand against them.  Not long after they’d cleared most of the ‘market’ area, that there was an ominous shake of the ground as the already dark sky turned a crimson red. Looking up in thought, Joker cocked his head to the side as a slow, wicked grin spread across his face.  “Looks like someone knows he’s just been robbed of his prisoner.”

“You can tell that from just the sky changing?”  Themis asked, earning a nod from the young man. “A physical reaction to someone’s cognition changing then.  I see.”

“Seems like it.”  Oracle agreed. “My mother’s research was pretty thorough despite her inability to actually get to the Metaverse.  She hypothesized much of what we’ve since proven. It might not be enough to remove the Ruler’s invincibility completely, but he might at least be able to be hurt now since his security’s been compromised to such a personal degree.”

“So we need to continue to compromise his mental wellbeing to have a much more pronounced effect on his Ruler.  Is this what you did to me?” Themis asked, genuinely curious despite having no memory of anything really having gotten her attention.

“No, we didn’t have to either though.”  Oracle assured her, and glanced at her from the corner of her eye. “Probably due to the fact that you didn't think yourself an untouchable god or anything… we just had to attend one of your cases once to open a door inside your Palace.  Fairly normal stuff.”

“Because everything about this situation is normal.”  Themis flatly stated before an understanding smile spread across her face as she put two and two together.  “My cognitive state was such that I didn’t even recognize your presence until you were in my personal domain.  Once I saw you in the courtroom, even if it was in passing, only then did I ‘see’ you as something worthy of notice in the first place.  Would that be a fair assessment?”

“Uh huh!  You catch on pretty quick!” Noir praised her as she pulled her axe out of the last shadow, foolish enough to oppose them.

“So… what do we do now?”

“We look for the next safe room.” Joker replied and pointed towards the place of their last defeat. “And I’m pretty sure its in that direction, otherwise there wouldn't have been a guard the last time, nor would the Ruler have shown up.”

“Makes sense.” Panther agreed and glanced uneasily at the walls that had been repaired since their last visit. “I know we all have Go-Homes with us but… I’m still nervous.”

“Me too.” Joker revealed and chuckled at the surprised looks he got from the others. “Come now guys, how couldn’t I be after last time, but… the thing is, it’s the same as every other time we go into a Palace. If we don’t act, who will?”

“It helps we now have an advantage we didn’t have before.”  Queen chimed in as she nonchalantly pointed to the sky that had yet to return to a normal, for this place at least, shade of black just as the first of the raindrops began to fall.  That it looked like bright red blood when it splattered against the black of her biker outfit didn’t even get an eyebrow raise from Queen as she shrugged. “He’s a bible thumping xenophobe, it’s not surprising to me he’d think skies full of blood would be a thing in his own Palace.”

“At the end of this it won’t be the sky that’s bleeding.” Panther hissed as she clenched her fist. Flames almost sprouting from the very air around her.

“Meow!  You’re so meowfullous when you’re angry Panther.”  Mona gushed, only to duck behind Skull when Panther turned her pale blue orbs on him next.

“I still haven’t forgiven you for that peeping tom incident!”

“That was an accident!”  Mona yowled in protest. “And you said it was just gonna take time… she did right guys?”

“I do not believe I was present for that conversation.” Fox muttered and cocked his head to the side. “Though I might have forgotten.”

“Well, Mona is right, you know?” Joker told her with a small smile. “You are breathtaking.” Her blue eyes gazed into his gray ones as they silently stared at one another.  Sae rolled her eyes and coughed before they decided to make out in the middle of a Palace full of Charles’ Shadows. Realizing their own mistake, the pair quickly turned away from the other before Joker briskly took off, with Ann blushing a beet red as she fell in step behind him.

“Teenagers.”  Themis chuckled despite herself, giving Futaba and Makoto an amused sidelong glance on her way past that had both women blushing almost as brightly as Panther’s latex outfit.  “Yes, that was meant for you two, but there’s a time and a place, and this is neither.”

“Sis….”  Queen moaned in embarrassment as she brought up the rear with a thoroughly flustered Oracle at her side.

“Your sister is gonna be the death of us isn’t she?”

“Normally I’d say no, but I might have to agree with you Oracle.”  Still, whatever thoughts on the matter at hand wound up being put on hold as more Shadows appeared between the front doors of the temple and them.  They were barely a hindrance for the senior Phantom Thieves, while they were more of a challenge for Themis, who’d only been an official member for the past two days.  But with their aid, she acquitted herself well enough for a newcomer. “You’re catching up well sis.” Queen stated once the last of the guards fell as Joker pushed the doors to the grand cathedral open once more.

“Thanks.  It’s harder than I thought it’d be, but between the training and having you at my side, I feel I can take on anything at this point.  I’m simply wise enough not to do anything so foolish.”

“Yet.” More than a few of the Thieves said in unison, earning an amused snort from Themis for their trouble.

“I take it you all did at some point?”

“Don’t tell me you can’t feel it?” Noir questioned and leaned forward. “This desire to prove yourself against impossible odds? To just show off a tiny little bit?”

“Of course I do, but usually I just blame the lot of you.” Themis retorted dryly, which earned her more than a few laughs.  Smiling despite being the butt of their laughter, she rolled with it since Noir wasn’t wrong. She did feel a need to show off, to make it abundantly clear she was not the woman she’d once been.  That she belonged with the rest of them, and that she was worthy of the power that had always been deep inside her very being. Looking down at the bow that she’d taken with her from the apartment, one that had once been held by another Persona User, she couldn’t help but marvel at the fact it’d transformed with the rest of her clothes, returning to the crackling bow of light she’d held once before in this very place.  Curling her gloved fingers tightly over the weapon, she was about to say something, until a blinding flash of light struck the center of the main hall they now occupied.

“So….you return?  And with a new sinner in tow.  I’d be impressed with your arrogance if I wasn’t so disappointed with you all.” The figure of Charles Saracino’s Shadow declared, his voice sound genuinely disappointed. Like a patient parent talking with a petulant child. “I had hoped you’d learned your lesson the last time you had come here, but instead you come again, causing havoc in your wanton destruction, and taking what is mine!  _ Where is she? _ Tell me or suffer my wrath a thousandfold!”

“She was never yours asshat!”  Skull roared as he swung his large staff furiously in front of him.  “As for you you holy glow rod, we might’ve underestimated you the first time, but we sure as shit ain’t goin’ out a second time!”

“Hubris!  You think yourselves greater than God?”  He asked, his voice shaking with anger even as Themis looked down at her bow, which seemed to be so impotent in comparison to the might of the being in front of her. She needed more, as she thought that she felt a shift from behind her as her Persona materialized in response to her wishes.  Sensing a disturbance, Saracino turned and leveled his orb like visage upon her fully. “You….I sense the similarity between yourself and the girl at your side. Siblings? If so, then that explains why she is so lost to her pride and arrogance.”

“Says the night light.”  Skull growled in retort, but an outstretched arm from Themis silenced him on the spot.

“You want to speak of hubris, look in the mirror, for you are but a man masquerading as a god.”  Themis declared, and with the same speed she’d displayed when she’d first awakened to her power, she snapped her bow up, her Persona mirroring her without a moment’s hesitation, and fired a crackling arrow of the blackest night as the light around her bow also turned pitch black. “ **_Arrows of Heracles!_ ** ” The name came suddenly and unbidden in response to her desire and with it, took a large amount of her strength. The startled cry that poured from Charles’ nonexistent lips was matched only by the gasps from the rest of the Phantom Thieves as a smoking hole was blown out of his right shoulder, where a stream of black shadow stuff oozed out of the wound much like blood would’ve from a mundane person.  “And correct me if I’m wrong, but  **_gods don’t bleed!_ ** ”  Despite suddenly feeling very mentally exhausted, Themis had made her point all too clearly as Charles clutched uselessly at the hole she’d burned right through his now useless arm.

“H-how?!  What...did you do?!”

“Poison is a woman’s weapon, and my arrows are quite venomous.  Enough so that even a god’s supposed immortality is a curse in this case since that pain will linger, even for you.  As Chiron begged for his immortality to be removed so he could die from the venom that would’ve otherwise left him in eternal agony, so too will you beg for us to finish you off!”

“I-impossible.” he declared and moved to stand up again only to fall to his knees, his good arm shaking, as his legs refused to obey his commands. His head snapped up as he stared at them all, Themis more so than the others, with sudden and intense fear. He clenched his teeth shut and closed his eyes as another flash of bright light announced his disappearance.

“Oh how the mighty have fallen!”  Mona crowed, beyond enthused by their triumph even as a small legion of Shadows materialized around them, with one particularly big one threatening to crush them underfoot.  “Hehehehe, let’s have some fun!”

“You know Themis… I don't think you’ll have any trouble fitting in.” Joker told her a with a grin, approval shining in his grey eyes. “You’re headstrong, determined, and resourceful.” He turned to look at Ann even as the girl was too busy cheering with the others to notice his lingering gaze. “I like that in a woman.”

“Save the flirtatious comments until after we clear out the so called holy host.”  Themis remarked dryly, even as she turned and fired into the nearest of the small Shadows since she doubted even her bow or spear would dent the biggest of the group that now surrounded them.

“What, you can’t multitask my lady?”  Joker asked cheekily even as he darted forward with his team to take on the biggest threat in the room while the rest of them split up to clear out the others.  Strangely enough, surrounded by enemies, side by side with her sister and her friends, fighting for her life, Sae felt strangely at home. So much in fact that she didn’t question the smile that found its way upon her face as her spear skewered another enemy.

**End Notes:** **_Nomad-117:_ ** _ Ah, damn that felt good. I mean them kicking Charles Shadow’s ass, not the bit with his ‘pet’. That kinda sucked but… a lot of the things you learned in Persona 5 sucked. Like what Kamoshida did, or Madarame, or Kaneshiro or… you get the idea. So we decided to keep to things that fit into this world… kinda depressing that stuff like this does but meh. And I gotta admit, cognitive version of Kai Leng is kinda useful, you can kill him as many times as you like and he comes bouncing back, ready to get murdered again. Very useful if you hate his guts. Otherwise we had a bit more character interaction in this chapter, having them get really angry since… well it would be only natural at this point and they aren’t mindless robots, so it felt… right. Not to worry, we are working on more madness to come in time. Until then have a good day. _

**_Vergil1989:_ ** _  Persona 3 had a fair amount of messed up stuff as well, especially involving the victims of Apathy Syndrome, those poor people the Shadows were able to mentally drain of everything, leaving empty husks behind to kinda shamble about until they were picked up by the local authorities.  Still, I agree with Nomad, this was kinda depressing, but ultimately necessary given the overall themes of what tended to happen with the villains of the story. Lol but I also have to agree about killing Kai Leng over and over again. It’s...rather therapeutic in a way since just about everyone can agree that he’s the worst kind of scum, although his ridiculous ‘plot armor’ in regards to Thane won’t be a thing in this.  In a real fight, Thane wouldn’t have been fighting the asshole by himself, Shepard and co would’ve shot the son of a bitch the first chance they had a clear shot, end of story. At least the people of Bioware gave Thane one last hurrah since he was more than a match for Leng despite his illness slowing him down as it had been. Doesn’t mean we still don’t hate the decision to screw Thane the way they did, but that aside, we hope you guys and gals enjoy the show! _

_ Also Themis is a beast, but that should’ve been apparent just from how she utterly blew away Charles’ Shadow.  There really IS lore by the way, regarding the venom Heracles used on the immortal centaur, Chiron, on his arrows that left Chiron weakened and in agony, so much so that the centaur ran off to Zeus and begged him to remove his immortality so he could die.  Given her extreme hatred and anger towards Charles for everything he’s done, both to her sister and to people in general, it made sense to Nomad, who didn’t have to do much to convince me in turn, to have it so that she’d be able to manifest something similar with her big attack that left Charles in a pretty similar state, minus most of an arm in the process.  THAT was pretty satisfying in its own right, as you’d rightly suspect. ;D While they weren’t able to take advantage of his weakened state, they still have that ace in the hole for later. It won’t always work, but against a man with a god complex, Arrows of Heracles will be quite the effective counter, hehe. _

_ As always, carpe diem, and we hope you all have a Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, and whatever else you might celebrate out there!  And have a safe and happy New Year. Adios folks! _


End file.
